Maratha activist to end fast, quota stir to go on

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Tuesday said he was ready to end his indefinite hunger strike, but his protest would continue until Maharashtra the government started issuing Kunbi (sub-caste) certificates to Marathas from the Marathwada region.

- Surendra P Gangan

Jarange, a farmer from Jalna district, said he was giving one month's time to the government so that a state-appointed committee could prepare its report on the Maratha reservation. He demanded that chief minister Eknath Shinde, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, besides Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati be present during his withdrawal of hunger strike. Udayanraje and Sambhajiraje are the descendants of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Jarange has been on a hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village since August 29, demanding that Marathas from Central Maharashtra region be extended reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category by declaring them as Kunbis.

Kunbis are categorised as OBCs.