Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
As you enter Pimpalgaon village about 60 km from Pune, you cannot miss the large board at the entrance that says ‘pravesh bandi’, that is ‘entry banned’. The words are directed at all politicians in and around the village.
With Manoj Jarange Patil going ahead with his indefinite hunger strike to demand reservation for the Maratha community, the protest has intensified across the state and especially so in the villages. And now to show solidarity to Jangare Patil and support the cause of Maratha reservation, villages across the state are banning politicians from entering their villages.
“Over 40 villages in the area have banned entry of politicians from outside areas into their area as part of protest against the state government over its failure to provide reservation to Marathas. In the next few days, 100 villages will be banning politicians, irrespective of any political party, from entering their area,” said Ankush Rakshe of Bhairwadi.
Rakshe along with three others had also gone on an indefinite hunger strike in Khed town after holding a relay hunger strike over the last 25 days.
The Maratha community had also burnt effigies of political leaders during ‘Raavan dahan’ in Dussehra, Rakshe added.
Hrishikesh Pawar of Vadgaon Ghenanand village said 90 per cent of the village comprised Marathas, so the youths have voluntarily put up boards in the village banning entry of politicians unless reservation is given to their community.
The boards further go on to explain their stance, as they say, “Let political leaders and political parties go to hell. Maratha reservation is only our aim. No entry to any political leader or party in the village until reservation is given to Marathas. Till now we fought for the motherland, now the fight is for our caste. Those who do not recognise the community, will not be recognised by the community.”
In Manchar town, Ankush Lande is leading the relay hunger strike in the heart of the town.
“Many villages of surrounding areas have extended support for the cause. If the state government does nothing in the next few days, the agitation will be intensified,” he said. Lande said the state government has been doling out assurances without concrete action.”Villagers from nearby areas will join us in the relay hunger strike from Saturday. Every day people from seven different villages will come to Manchar and protest with us,” he said.
In Pimpalgaon village, four km from Manchar town, the young and elderly have been agitating for some days now.
“Over 80 per cent of our village population is Marathas, whose youths have suffered due to lack of reservation. So, a resolution was passed in a meeting to ban entry of politicians in villages,” said Sarpanch Deepak Pokharkar.
Amit Bangar (20) a security guard in Pimpalgaon, said he had secured 85 per cent marks in Science stream in class 12, but had to give up on further education due to his family’s dire financial condition.
“If there was reservation for Marathas, I could have taken admission for higher education with a smaller fee and wouldn’t have to do this work for my livelihood,” he said.
“I was short of a few marks in the recruitment exam so I lost the opportunity. Reservation would have meant a reduction in marks for eligibility for the job. I would have been settled in life,” he sighs.
Bangar said the agitation will intensify as Maratha youths will not let the state government “fool them now. If something goes wrong during the agitation then the state government will be held responsible,” he said, adding that politicians are already banned in the village, and there is no knowing what youth could do further.
Sanjay Padule of Ghevrai village in Beed district said that many villages in districts of Marathwada, North Maharashtra and Vidarbha have joined this ban on politicians in their jurisdiction with the demand for Maratha reservation gaining momentum under leadership of Manoj Jarange Patil.
“Jarange Patil has brought together the entire community to fight for their rights. Maratha youths have now become active. They have realised the government is dividing the community, so they won’t keep quiet now,” said 65-year-old Namdeorao Pokharkar of Pimpalgaon.
NCP district president Pradeep Garatkar, who is in the camp of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, said it is true the Maratha reservation agitation has intensified in villages and they are banning entry of politicians. “The issue has reached every Maratha house in the villages. The agitation is beyond the scope of political parties as citizens are very angry,” he said.
Political parties, both ruling and the Opposition, will have to respond to public pressure, he said, adding that the ban on entering villages will lead to a disconnect of political leaders with their voters, at a time when Lok Sabha elections are just around the corner.
