Maratha quota activist Jarange-Patil begins hunger strike under scorching sun

MAratha activistic Manoj Jarange-Patil on sabbatum began an indefinite hungriness walk out below the scorching sun without any shade in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, despite ongoing talks with the Maharashtra government over his demands and a written assurance late Friday night that they would consider them.Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil reached Antarwali Sarati to persuade Jarange-Patil to call off the protest. However, the first round of talks failed to produce a breakthrough, as the government sought more time to implement key demands. Jarange-Patil chose to sit in an open field under the scorching sun with food and water despite the minister’s insistence that he move his agitation to a sheltered place.The Maratha activist is unhappy with the government over delays in the assurances and promises made during a hunger strike held at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan last year.His key demands include implementing the Hyderabad Gazetteer (1909) and Satara Gazetteer to facilitate the issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, creating a dedicated ministry for the Maratha community similar to the OBC welfare department, and issuing caste validity certificates as Kunbi for the Maratha community, among others.“The state government must issue a government resolution (GR) for implementing the Satara Gazette and grant caste certificates and validity certificates to eligible applicants from the Maratha community. If these are not granted, action should be taken against the concerned officials,” demanded Jarange-Patil.It was the second meeting between the Maratha activist and the minister since Friday, as the state government intensified efforts to persuade Jarange-Patil to withdraw his agitation.On Saturday, Vikhe-Patil, who also heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, handed over to Jarange-Patil a draft of the action the government has initiated on his charter of demands.Vikhe-Patil, sitting with him, tried to persuade him to move his protest to a sheltered place for the time being. “The government is making all the efforts to fulfil all the demands made by Jarange-Patil,” he said, seeking more time for the formation of a dedicated ministry in the state government for the Maratha community.However, he expressed reservations about issuing a GR for implementing the Satara Gazetteer, saying it could lead to legal challenges. “Legal experts have asked the government to proceed with caution, as the GR issued for the Hyderabad Gazetteer’s implementation has already been challenged in court,” Vikhe-Patil said at Antarwali Sarati.