Manoj Jarange hunger strike enters fifth day over Maratha reservation

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange’s indefinite hunger strike in Jalna entered its fifth day, with doctors expressing concern over his deteriorating health. Jarange refused intravenous fluids as the State government continued efforts to persuade him to end his fast

Jalna (Maharashtra): Activist Manoj Jarange’s hunger strike over the Maratha reservation issue entered its fifth day on Wednesday, even as doctors raised concerns over his deteriorating health and the Jalna district collector appealed to him to end his fast.

Jarange’s blood sugar level had dropped, a medical officer who checked his health parameters said.

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A team of doctors stationed at the protest site urged Jarange to accept intravenous (IV) fluids, but he refused, the doctor said.

Jarange began his latest indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on August 29, demanding reservation for Marathas and the immediate issuance of Kunbi certificates on the basis of gazette records, among other demands. He has also threatened to intensify the agitation and take it to Mumbai if his demands are not met.

Jalna Collector Ashima Mittal met Jarange at the protest site on Tuesday night as part of the State government’s efforts to persuade him to end his fast. During the meeting, Mittal explained the steps taken by the government regarding Maratha reservation.

Jarange, however, questioned whether she had come to defend the government’s position and urged her not to get involved in the matter, saying the demands concerned decisions at the State level.

Jarange told Mittal that he respected her but would not accept her explanation on the issue.

He also asked her not to visit him again in connection with the agitation, alleging that the government was unnecessarily sending her to negotiate with him.

Jarange has claimed that 58 lakh records establishing genealogical links between Marathas and Kunbis had been found and alleged that the government was trying to reduce the figure.

His principal demand is that members of the Maratha community be recognised as Kunbis and granted the reservation benefits available to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in education and government jobs.

Other demands include granting reservation based on the Satara Gazette, withdrawal of police cases registered against quota protesters across Maharashtra, and providing government jobs and financial compensation to the families of those who died during previous agitations.

The activist’s earlier protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from August 29 last year caused traffic chaos and was called off on September 2 after the State government accepted six of his eight demands and began issuing Kunbi caste certificates.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the government was open to discussing constitutionally valid and legally viable demands, and not those violative of the Supreme Court’s orders.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said the Mahayuti government was committed to ensuring justice for the community without causing injustice to any other section.

Shinde said the government remained positively inclined towards providing whatever was legally permissible and fair, and appealed to Jarange to adopt a “constructive approach”.