Amid the ongoing Maratha quota row in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday met activist Manoj Jarange. Following which the activist ended his 17-day long indefinite hunger strike. Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Girish Mahajan, MoS Rao Saheb Danve, Cabinet Minister Uday Samant. Jarange was on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district of central Maharashtra, more than 400 kms from Mumbai, demanding reservation in jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for the Maratha community.
"We expect justice only from CM Shinde. If anyone has the ability to take immediate decision, it is in Eknath Shinde," Jarange said after meeting the CM. "Maratha community should have faith in me. I will not backtrack from demand of reservation. And hence we extend the deadline to 10 more days," the activist added.
After offering juice to the activist, Eknath Shinde said, "I am thankful to Manoj Jarange that he called me here and ended the hunger strike. I have known Manoj for a long time, he is a very good person. I congratulate him from my heart, because it is a lot of work to organise a movement, or to go on a hunger strike and to take it forward." The CM added, "Those responsible at the time of lathi charge were suspended. I have told the police to take the statements of all these people."
"3700 people of Maratha community were not getting jobs because the Supreme Court had banned reservation. But I have decided to give them jobs. It will be responsibility of the government and being the Chief Minister, it is up to me."
Demands of the Maratha quota activist:
- The state government should start issuing 'Kunbi' caste certificates to the Maratha community
- All the police cases against Maratha quota protesters should be withdrawn
- The police officials who ordered the lathi-charge on protesters should be suspended
- All these assurances should be given in writing
- CM Eknath Shinde, both deputy CMs, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati should be present at the time of the withdrawal of the fast
- Maratha quota activist on hunger strike
- Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district of central Maharashtra, demanding reservation in jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for the Maratha community.
Govt sets up 5-member panel
This will allow Marathas from the Marathwada region — which was part of Nizam's Hyderabad state till 1948 — to avail of quota benefits as Kunbis are now categorized as OBCs. The state government has set up a five-member panel headed by Judge Sandeep Shinde (retired) to determine the Standard Operating Procedures, including legal and administrative framework, for giving caste certificates to Maratha community members who have been described as `Kunbis' in the Nizam-era documents.
The Maharashtra activist also said he was giving one month's time to the Maharashtra government so that a state-appointed committee could prepare its report on the Maratha reservation. “I want Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to come here so that I can withdraw my fast for the Maratha quota. We will subsequently continue a chain fasting along with my supporters at the same protest site, Jarange told reporters on Tuesday night.
