Mumbai: Jalna-based activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Wednesday morning started another hunger strike at the Antarwali Sarathi village demanding Maratha quota.
Jarange-Patil had given a 40-day deadline to the Maharashtra Government to come up with a quota for Maratha people in educational institutions and jobs, and it expired on Tuesday. He was on hunger strike from August 29 in the village. He broke his fast on September 14 when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde landed in the village and assured him of the Maratha reservation.
Gold Rate
04 April 2025
Accusing the Maharashtra Government of not being serious about the Maratha community’s demand for reservation, Jarange-Patil told media persons, “As the State Government has failed to provide reservation by the October 24 deadline and as promised by me, I am restarting my fast unto death from today. Along with me, members of the Maratha community hold chain hunger strikes at the village level.”
“The Chief Minister, his government, as well as all political parties, had promised us the reservation. But all of them need to keep their word. We thought the government would understand the pain of the poor Marathas and provide us the reservation. But that has not happened,” he said.
Accusing the government of trying to mislead the community, Jarange-Patil said, “The State Government had told us that it would withdraw the cases filed against members of the Maratha community in two days. But it has been 41 days; it has done nothing.”
“This time, I will not take any medical treatment. I will not drink water or have any food. I will not take saline as well. We will intensify our protest, but it won’t be aggressive. Candlelight marches will be organised. We request politicians from all parties not to come to our villages until reservation is given to the Marathas,” Jarange-Patil said.
Stating that there was no specific ban on political leaders from entering villages, Jarange-Patil said, ”They (political leaders) should not come to our doorsteps hereafter and we will not go to their doors either.” He appealed to the Maratha people not to take extreme steps, especially against the backdrop of suicides over the Maratha quota issue.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan contacted Jarange-Patil and urged him not to sit on another hunger strike. He asked the activist to give some time to the government to announce a reservation which would stand the scrutiny of the court. Mahajan also told Jarange-Patil that four or five of his demands would be accepted and fulfilled immediately.
