Gunaratna Sadavarte, Opponent of Maratha Reservation, Faces Attack on His Car in Mumbai
Mumbai, 25th January 2024: In a turn of events, Mangesh Sable, a Maratha protester, targeted the luxurious car of Ad Gunaratna Sadavarte, a staunch opponent of the Maratha reservation. The incident occurred in Mumbai’s Hindmata area, where Sarpanch Mangesh Sable took responsibility for smashing the windows of Sadavarte’s car. The attack follows Sadavarte’s recent demand for the arrest of Manoj Jarange Patil, a hunger striker advocating for the Maratha movement.
Gunaratna Sadavarte, known for his strong opposition to the Maratha reservation, resides in the 16-storey Crystal Towers building in Mumbai. The attack on his car comes amid growing discontent within the Maratha community regarding his anti-reservation stance. Sadavarte responded to the attack by calling for the immediate arrest of Manoj Jarange, further intensifying the ongoing tensions.
Gunaratna Sadavarte, originally from Nanded, is a lawyer who settled in Mumbai and gained prominence for his legal activism. He, along with his wife Jayashree Patil, has been actively involved in challenging the Maratha reservation and advocating for constitutional principles. Sadavarte’s background includes education in MBBS, and he holds a PhD in the Indian Constitution. His legal battles span various cases, including those related to the Maratha reservation and the Scheduled Tribe (ST) movement.
Gunaratna Sadavarte entered the spotlight during the ST movement, where he took a stance against the Pawar family and engaged in legal battles challenging reservations and advocating for constitutional principles. His participation in agitations resulted in a two-year cancellation of his lawyer’s charter. Despite facing resistance from the ST organization, Sadavarte managed to gain support from employees, contributing to the discourse around ST issues.
Jayashree Patil, Gunaratna Sadavarte’s wife, has played a significant role alongside her husband in legal activism. Born in Mahurgarh village, she pursued law in Aurangabad and earned an LLM in Mumbai. Jayashree Patil holds a Ph.D. in Criminology and is the daughter of Dr. Laxmanrao Kisanrao Patil, who filed the first petition against the Maratha reservation in 2014. The couple’s family includes a daughter named Zain, who received the National Gallantry Award for saving lives during a fire in 2018.
