Manoj Jarange Refuses To End Hunger Strike

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange has refused to withdraw his proposed hunger strike from August 29 at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district.

This decision comes after a meeting with a delegation of Maharashtra ministers, including Shambhuraj Desai, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and Uday Samant, who urged him to call off the agitation.

Jaranage reiterated his demand for reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and gave the state government time until August 28 to take concrete action on his demands.

The government delegation met Jarange at Antarwali Sarati in the presence of members of the Maratha community and the media, but failed to convince him to call off the protest.

A key demand raised by Jarange was the completion of the process of issuing Kunbi caste certificates and validity documents to eligible members of the Maratha community by August 28.

He also sought the withdrawal of criminal cases filed against participants in previous Maratha reservation protests.

Jaranage maintained that the community was seeking reservation within the existing legal framework and on the basis of historical records dating back to 1967.

According to him, Marathas whose records establish their Kunbi identity should be issued the relevant certificates, enabling them to avail themselves of OBC reservation.

During the meeting, Jarange questioned the progress made in examining historical records, and Minister Uday Samant said nearly 58 lakh records had been scrutinised.

Jaranage, however, sought clarity on the exact number of valid Kunbi records identified from the documents examined.

The ministers also facilitated a discussion between Jarange and members of the Shinde Committee on the issue of certificates.

Jaranage insisted that eligible applicants should receive their Kunbi certificates and validity documents before the August 28 deadline.

He also alleged that ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Sanjay Shirsat were creating obstacles in the reservation process and expressed dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The government representatives rejected the allegation that the top leadership was obstructing the issuance of certificates.

Jaranage further claimed that in some cases officials were cancelling the validity of certificates and demanded that such cases be resolved immediately.

The proposed hunger strike has sparked concerns among the Maratha community and the state government, with many calling for a resolution to the issue.

The Maratha reservation issue has been a long-standing demand of the community, with many arguing that it is essential for their social and economic upliftment.

The state government has been under pressure to address the issue, with several protests and agitations taking place in recent years.

The outcome of the hunger strike and the government's response to Jarange's demands remain to be seen, but one thing is certain - the Maratha reservation issue will continue to be a major point of contention in Maharashtra politics.