Maratha activist Jarange-Patil ends hunger strike after govt’s 12-point proposal

MAratha quota activistic Manoj Jarange-Patil ended his indefinite hungriness walk out shortly after midnight on dominicus after say minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and BJP MLC Prasad Lad handed over a 12-point proposal addressing key demands related to Maratha reservation.Jarange-Patil had began his ninth round of indefinite hunger strike at 10 am on Saturday in Antarwali Sarati, his native village in Jalna district of the Marathwada region. This time, the protest was more extreme, as he sat in the open under the harsh summer sun without shade.Meanwhile, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, held multiple meetings with officials from the divisional commissionerate and discussed the developments with the political leadership.Vikhe Patil and Lad was stationed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar since Friday. The government delegation met Jarange-Patil around midnight with a 12-point proposal. After due deliberations on the proposal, the quota activist ended the strike by drinking fruit juice at around 1.30 am.Jarange-Patil demand’s include Kunbi certificates for all Marathas on the basis of 5.8 million Kunbi records found in the state, withdrawal of cases registered against protesters over the last three years, a separate Maratha department to address community demands, financial assistance to the families of Maratha protesters who lost their lives during the agitation, and the expediting of the process of issuing caste validity certificates, among other demands. He had also demanded a government resolution for the implementation of the Satara Gazetteer, which records Marathas as Kunbis.The state government delegation handed over a proposal agreeing to most of the demands. The government agreed to issue caste certificates to Marathas based on Kunbi records, hand over details of the 5.8 million Kunbi records to the activist, and speed up the process of issuing caste validity certificates. The government also agreed to deliberate on a government resolution for the Satara Gazetteer and to establish separate helplines at Mantralaya and district collector offices for reservation-related issues and the issuance of certificates.Addressing supporters gathered in large numbers at Antarwali Sarati, Jarange-Patil said the government had agreed to issue certificates based on the 5.8 million Kunbi records. “The records would be displayed at panchayat offices. Divisional commissioners would oversee implementation,” he said.He also sought accountability for officials failing to issue certificates despite valid records and said the government should issue directives to the concerned offices.“All the assurances given to him were made openly in front of the people and the media. No assurance was given secretly or behind closed doors. The assurances we made were also read out by Manoj Jarange himself. Our government has consistently maintained a stand of ensuring justice for the Maratha community, and action has been taken accordingly,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday morning.Jarange-Patil will undergo a detailed medical examination at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday. The activist’s health deteriorated due to dehydration caused by the protest under the scorching sun. His blood pressure dropped, and he reportedly vomited two to three times.