Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange: Will withdraw fast, won't vacate protest site till govt issues Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas

Manoj Jarange/ File Photo

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday said he is willing to withdraw his indefinite hunger strike, stated PTI report, however, has said he won't leave the protest site until the Maharashtra government begins issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community from the Marathwada region. Jarange further said that he is giving only a month's time to the state government so that the state-appointed committee can prepare its report on the Maratha reservation.

The activist, aged around 40, has been on indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. He has been demanding reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

The five-member panel headed by Judge Sandeep Shinde (retired) set up by the Maharashtra government will be determining Standard Operating Procedures - including a legal and administrative framework for giving caste certificates to Maratha community members referred to as Kunbis (part of OBCs now) in Nizam-era documents. The issuance of the Kunbi certificate will enable the Marathas from Marathwada to avail of quota benefits under the OBC category.

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Parbhani, Beed, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded and Osmanabad are the eight districts that combine Marathwada.

"I am ready to give the state government one month's time so that the committee prepares a report. 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," a PTI report quoted Jarange.

He further said that he is walking two steps backwards so his community is not defamed further. "I am ready to withdraw my fast, but I will not vacate this place," he additionally told media.

Jarange, who has become the face of the protest, said they gave the state government 40 years to address the woes of the community. Moreover, he said the government will fall flat "on its face" if they do not implement its own promise.

All-party meeting

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday had presided over an all-party meeting in Mumbai where they passed a resolution requesting Jarange to withdraw his fast. CM Shinde further announced that they will be withdrawing police cases filed against pro-Maratha agitators in Jalna, the epicentre of the latest stir. Additionally, the cops who lathi-charged protestors will be suspended, said the CM.

On Tuesday, state minister Sandipan Bhumre, Shiv Sena leader Arjun Khotkar and Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide met Jarange and requested him to withdraw his fast. He, despite their pleadings, remained resolute and said he would continue to protest since no concrete decision was made over his demand.

"I will continue my fast until the state government comes with an order offering reservation to the Maratha community. I would be the only protester who forced the state government to take back its faulty order. I want a permanent solution to this mess," Jarange had told media earlier in the day, according to PTI.

With PTI inputs