Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday refused to end his indefinite hunger strike, maintaining that he would continue his protest until the demands of the Maratha community are accepted.
Jarange also issued a fresh deadline to the Maharashtra government, warning that he would shift the agitation to Mumbai on September 12 if the demands were not implemented by September 11.
The announcement followed a meeting between Jarange and a delegation of Maharashtra ministers and legislators, which failed to resolve the standoff.
Jarange has been fasting for about a week at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, seeking reservation benefits for the Maratha community through the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible applicants.
Government Appeals To Jarange To End Fast
The government delegation included Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Makarand Patil.
Vikhe Patil appealed to Jarange to withdraw or postpone his hunger strike, citing concerns over his health. He said the government remained committed to addressing the issues raised by the Maratha community.
The minister also said authorities had identified nearly 58 lakh Kunbi records and would speed up the process of issuing certificates. Nodal officers are expected to be appointed to oversee the process and help applicants who encounter difficulties.
Kunbis are classified under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, making eligible members entitled to reservation benefits in education and government employment.
Jarange Urges Marathas To Apply For Kunbi Certificates
Jarange, however, rejected the government’s appeal and asked eligible members of the Maratha community to begin applying for Kunbi certificates from September 4.
He said applicants could rely on family, blood and clan links with individuals whose Kunbi records have been identified, including records mentioned in the Hyderabad Gazette.
Jarange also urged eligible families to obtain validity certificates and approach their respective district collectors if they faced difficulties during the application process.
“I will not withdraw my hunger strike until all the demands of the Maratha community are accepted. If Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde genuinely wants to support the Maratha community, he should take a sincere and concrete stand and extend his support,” Jarange said.
“I will drink and take IV fluids, but I will not break my fast,” he added.
Mumbai Protest Threatened From September 12
Later on Thursday night, Jarange gave the Maharashtra government until September 11 to act on the demands and announced that the agitation would move to Mumbai if there was no progress.
“This is my last hunger strike. My body will not support me anymore. If I protest again, I will die. I will give you time until September 11. However, if our demands are not implemented by September 11, I will go to Mumbai and protest on September 12,” he said.
The government has maintained that it is working to facilitate the issuance of Kunbi certificates for eligible Marathas, while Jarange has insisted that concrete action must be taken before he considers ending his protest.
With Thursday’s discussions failing to produce an agreement, the standoff between Jarange and the Maharashtra government continues, with September 11 now emerging as the key deadline.
