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Maratha quota activist calls of ‘indefinite hunger strike’ once again

Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Thursday finally called off his indefinite hunger strike on the sixth day after the Maharashtra Government accepted some of his demands on providing reservation to Maratha community under the OBC category. However, he has threatened to launch his next agitation in Mumbai if the State Government does not implement its promises.

Jarange and 104 other activists, including women, had launched the indefinite hunger strike on January 25 demanding the reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

On Thursday, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas persuaded Jarange to end his fast, assuring him that the state government was positive towards four of his major demands. They include: the deadline for the former Justice Shinde Committee to find out the Kunbi registration will be extended; the implementation of the Hyderabad, Bombay, and Satara Gazette will be studied by the former Justice Shinde Committee and further action will be taken at the government level accordingly; the action to examine and withdraw the cases registered against Maratha protesters in Maharashtra will be expedited as per the directions of the High Court and the government decision and the process for issuing Kunbi certificates will continue through the cells established at the district and taluka levels.

“"I am suspending the agitation, not ending it. I am 100 percent sure that (chief minister) Devendra Fadnavis will not be dishonest with the Marathas,” said Jarange.

Saying that he was happy with the Maratha quota activist’s move, Fadnavis said, “Whatever decisions we have taken regarding the Maratha community have already been taken by the Mahayuti government. It is our responsibility to resolve all these issues that have arisen within the framework of the law, and we are trying to do so.”

“We will definitely accept whatever demands anyone makes within the framework of the law. But the demands should be made within the framework of the Constitution and the law of India. If they are, then we will get a befitting response from the government,” said Fadnavis.

Jarange has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members for granting reservation to the latter under the OBC category.

This is his seventh indefinite fast since September 1, 2023, when police lathi-charged protesters at Antarwali Sarati.

In February 2024, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category.



( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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