Maratha quota: Activist Manoj Jarange ends hunger strike on 17th day after Maharashtra CM meets him

Pic/Twiiter@CMOMaharashtra

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who was on a hunger strike demanding reservation for his community, on Thursday ended his hunger strike on the 17th day of the protest after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a meeting with him.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, accompanied by some of his ministerial colleagues, visited Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where the protest was on, and met Jarange in the morning.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister announced that his government is committed to providing reservation to the Maratha community.

"Manoj Jarange's fight is not for any personal demand and that is why it received so much support from the community. In the past, the government provided reservation, but it could not survive in the Supreme Court," Eknath Shinde was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Manoj Jarange later ended his fast by drinking a glass of juice offered by CM Eknath Shinde. His hunger strike was on since August 29.

On Wednesday, amid Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's hunger strike for reservation for the Maratha community, the Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra government to ensure that law and order was maintained and the "health" of the protesters too was not harmed.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arun Pednekar was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Nilesh Shinde regarding the ongoing protests by members of the Maratha community.

"The aspirations of people in any democratic polity get expressed in various forms, however, such forms cannot be permitted to assume character of the same being a cause of any kind of disturbance in the society," the HC said.

While protecting the right of every individual or group of persons to express their aspirations, it is also the duty of the state to maintain law and order and peace and tranquility in society at any cost, it said.

"No protest or agitation being carried out for whatever reason can be permitted to assume the character of causing any law and order situation," the court said.

Every individual or group of persons has the "fundamental right" to protest, but it must be through peaceful means, the bench further said.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the state, assured that the government has taken various steps on the issue and also persuaded Jarange to break his fast.

The bench accepted his statement and said the government shall take all the steps in accordance with law to ensure that law and order is maintained as well as the health of the protestors is protected.

It was equally expected from the protestors that they would not indulge in any activity that affects law and order in the state, the judges added.

(With inputs from PTI)