Maratha Quota Activist Manoj Jarange Ends His 9-Day Hunger Strike

Mumbai: Activist Manoj Jarange, batting for Maratha reservation, ended his nine-day fast on Wednesday. 

Jarange who called off his indefinite fast, nine days after its launch for the OBC quota demand, cited pleas from members of the Maratha community to withdraw his hunger strike.

Speaking to his supporters in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange said he had decided to call off the fast keeping in mind the sentiments of the Maratha community.

“We will deal with those who have hurt the Maratha community,” Jarange said.

Jarange sat on a hunger strike on September 17, his sixth in a year, to demand reservation to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

"I have decided to call off the fast after repeated pleas from my community members. Those responsible for harassing the Maratha community will not be spared," Jarange said and appealed to Marathas to refrain from attending any political meetings.

Jarange said the Maratha community suffered a lot in the last 70 years. "We want the reservation for a better future for our youth," he added.

In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category. Jarange, however, stuck to his demand for a quota for the community under the OBC head.

Jarange announced the withdrawal of the fast hours after Jalna district collector Radhakrishna Panchal and Superintendent of Police Ajaykumar Bansal met him at the protest site on Tuesday midnight and convinced him to end the fast considering his failing health.

Jarange has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and granting reservation to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

This was Jarange's sixth indefinite fast since September 1 last year, when police had lathi-charged protesters at Antarwali Sarati.

Meanwhile, activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare, fasting to "protect" the OBC quota at Wadigodri village, located 2 km apart from Jarange's protest site, continued the protest.

(with PTI inputs)