Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has expressed his willingness to end his indefinite hunger strike, but under one condition: the Maharashtra government must initiate the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members in the Marathwada region. Jarange, who has been fasting since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, central Maharashtra, has been demanding reservation in jobs and education for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Jarange announced his decision during an address at the protest site on Tuesday afternoon, emphasizing that he’s granting the state government one month’s time for the committee it appointed to prepare a report on the Maratha reservation issue. He declared, “I have made it clear to the state government that whether its report is positive or negative, it will have to start issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community. I am ready to withdraw my fast, but I will not vacate this place.”
Highlighting the prolonged struggle, Jarange said, “We have given 40 years to the state government, but it never addressed our woes. If the state government does not implement its own promise, it will fall flat on its face.” Jarange has emerged as a prominent figure in the Maratha quota protest.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde recently chaired an all-party meeting in Mumbai to address the ongoing Maratha quota agitation led by Jarange. During the meeting, a resolution was passed, urging Jarange to end his hunger strike. Additionally, Shinde announced the withdrawal of police cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district and the suspension of three police officials involved in a lathi-charge against quota agitators earlier in the month.
State minister Sandipan Bhumre and Shiv Sena leader Arjun Khotkar, both from Jalna, met with Jarange on Tuesday and shared the resolutions from the all-party meeting. Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide also urged him to end his fast. However, Jarange insisted on continuing his protest, citing the absence of a concrete decision from the state government regarding the Maratha community’s quota demand.
“I will continue my fast until the state government issues an order offering reservation to the Maratha community.