Maratha Quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil said today that he would launch an indefinite fast on January 25 to increase pressure on Devendra Fadnavis government to accept the Maratha community’s demands for reservation in jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Manoj Jarange-Patil urged the members of the Maratha community to attend the protest in large numbers. He said that no one should stay at home, and they should come to Antarwali Sarthi (village). He added that they must show their collective strength. However, he mentioned that there will be no compulsion or pressure on anyone.

The Maratha Quota activist accused the state government of cheating and said it failed to fulfil its promises to the Maratha community. He said that the community will not spare the government if they don’t meet their demands during the ongoing winter session.

He further demanded that the state government implement the draft notification that recognises the Kunbis as related by birth or marriage to the Marathas (sage soyare) and grant reservations to the latter under the OBC category.

Manoj Patil also demanded that the state speed up the work undertaken by the Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde Committee. The Mahayuti government formed the committee to expedite the process of granting Kunbi certificates to the Marathas, which makes them eligible for reservations.

Furthermore, the 42-year-old activist, stressed on the same demand, went on six hunger strikes last year. Notably, in February 2024, the Mahayuti government unanimously passed a bill providing 10% reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category.

Nonetheless, Jarange has been insisting on a quota for the community under the OBC head. The agrarian Kunbi community already receives quota benefits under the OBC category.

Previously, before voting in the Maharashtra assembly election, Patil withdrew his list of candidates and decided to support the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) against the Mahayuti alliance.

He  withdrew from the fray as he had not received a response from smaller allies representing castes like the Dalits and Muslims. He had been banking on them to field candidates as part of his plan. Additionally, he also said that he had realised that no election could be fought in the name of a single caste.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union law minister today tabled the constitutional amendment bills for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously in Lok Sabha.

The Union Law Minister said that The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 could be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses. 

Notably, the introduction of the bills was followed by sharp attacks by MPs of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress. Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the bills for simultaneous elections in the country, mentioning that they assault the Constitution’s basic structure doctrine.

He said in the Lok Sabha that the introduction, consideration of one nation, one election bill beyond the legislative competence of this House, and urged the government to withdraw it.

Additionally, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav opposed the bills for simultaneous polls, calling them an attempt by the BJP to bring in dictatorship in the country.

The Samajwadi Party MP said that he was not able to understand just two days ago, no stone was left unturned in the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution, and within two days, the Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to an end the basic spirit and the basic structure of the Constitution. Agreeing with Manish Tewari, he said that on behalf of his party and his leader Akhilesh Yadav, he has no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time, even in this House, there was no one more learned. 

Furthermore, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee also criticised the bills, alleging that they are not to reform elections but just a fulfilment of one gentleman’s desire and dream.

He said that this proposed bill hits the basic structure of the Constitution itself and if any bill, any actual which hits the basic structure of the Constitution that is ultra vires, they must remember that the state government and the state legislative assembly are not subordinate to the Central government or to the Parliament itself.

According to a copy of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, circulated on the night of December 13, if the Lok Sabha or any state assembly is dissolved before the end of its full term, mid-term elections will be held only for that legislature to complete the remainder of its five-year term.

Further, the bill also suggests adding Article 82(A) (simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all Legislative Assemblies) and amending Articles 83 (duration of Houses of Parliament), 172, and 327 (power of Parliament to make provisions with respect to elections to Legislatures).

It mentions that the provisions of the amendment will come into effect on an appointed date, which the President will notify on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election. As per the bill, the appointed date will be after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, with simultaneous elections slated to begin in 2034.

The bill specifies that the tenure of the House of the People (Lok Sabha) will be five years from the appointed date, and the tenure of all legislative assemblies elected after the appointed date will end with the tenure of the Lok Sabha.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lankan President on Monday expressed gratitude to India for economic support during the island nation’s financial meltdown and crucial assistance in restructuring bilateral debt. President Dissanayake is on his first bilateral visit to New Delhi after assuming power in Colombo.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that they faced an unprecedented economic crisis some 2 years ago and India supported them immensely to come out of that quagmire. He added that the economic assistance also helped them immensely after that, especially in the debt-free structuring process. He further noted that Sri Lanka secures a very significant place in India’s foreign policy.

In a joint press statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India’s bilateral projects in Sri Lanka are always based on Colombo’s development priorities. The Prime Minister said that India has so far provided 5 billion dollars in line of credit and grant assistance to Sri Lanka, and have cooperation in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka.

Narendra Modi also announced new projects including assistance for the rehabilitation of the signalling system at the Maho-Anuradhapura railway section and Kankesanthurai Port. He further declared monthly scholarships to 200 students in the universities of Jaffna and Eastern Province. He also affirmed that in the next 5 years, India will also train 1500 civil servants from Sri Lanka.

PM Modi stated that along with housing, renewable energy and infrastructure, India will also cooperate for the development of agriculture, dairy and fisheries in Sri Lanka. India will also participate in the unique digital identity project in Sri Lanka, he continued.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan president also assured that his country will not allow its territory to be used in any manner that is detrimental to India’s interest. He conveyed that PM Modi assured full support and he also assured that he will always protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka. He added that the cooperation with India will certainly flourish and wants to reassure continued support for India.

PM Modi also said that India will soon finalise a defence cooperation agreement with Sri Lanka. He said that cooperation on hydrography has also been agreed upon, and they believe that the Colombo Security Conclave is an important platform for regional peace, security and development. Under this, cooperation will be enhanced on topics like maritime security, counter terrorism, cyber-security, fight against smuggling and organised crime, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.