Jarange at it again, starts 6th indefinite fast over Maratha quota in a year; targets Fadnavis

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday launched a fresh indefinite fast, his sixth in a span of over a year, to press for the demand for reservation to his community under the OBC category.

He began the stir from midnight at his native Antarwali Sarati village of Jalna district, around 75 km from here.

Addressing reporters before his agitation, Jarange accused the Maharashtra government of not giving reservation to the community deliberately, and said the Marathas were giving “one more chance” to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to resolve the quota issue.

He also warned the ruling parties that they will have to face the consequences in the upcoming Assembly elections if the community’s demands are not met. Jarange has been demanding implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) of the Maratha community members and granting reservation to the latter under the OBC category.

He said he also wants cases registered against several members of the Maratha community during his agitation earlier to be withdrawn.

“The Maratha community is important to me, but the government is not giving reservation deliberately. Moreover, they say that we are speaking a political language...Now, I will no longer make political statements, but we are giving one more chance to Deputy CM Fadnavis (to resolve the issue),” he said. The leaders who support Fadnavis should talk to him. The community is watching who is going to provide reservation, the activist said. “If the demands are not met, don’t blame me for the consequences in the Assembly polls,”

he added.