Manoj Jarange launches ninth indefinite fast over Maratha quota demands

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday launched his ninth indefinite hunger strike in Jalna district escalating his agitation over pending demands related to reservation and benefits for the Maratha communityThe protest began at Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtras Jalna district where Jarange chose to sit on an indefinite fast despite soaring temperatures His latest agitation comes amid ongoing discussions between Maratha community representatives and the state government over the implementation of reservationrelated measuresFast begins amid intense summer heatJarange started the indefinite fast in the open without a canopy or protective shelter drawing attention to his renewed campaign for the fulfilment of demands linked to the Maratha reservation movementThe activist has been at the forefront of the Maratha quota agitation over the past two years and has undertaken multiple fasts to press the government for action Saturdays protest marks the ninth indefinite fast launched by Jarange as part of the movementSupporters gathered at Antarwali Sarati village located around 400 kilometres from Mumbai as the agitation commencedGovernment reaches out for talksSoon after the protest began Maharashtra minister and chairman of the Maratha Reservation Cabinet SubCommittee Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil reached the protest site to hold discussions with JarangeAccording to officials Vikhe Patil attempted to persuade the activist to call off the hunger strike and assured him that the state government was continuing efforts to address the concerns raised by the Maratha communityThe minister also urged Jarange to move under a temporary shelter considering the extreme weather conditions However the activist remained firm on continuing the protestKey demands raised by JarangeJarange has reiterated several longpending demands that he says are crucial for ensuring reservation benefits for members of the Maratha communityAmong his primary demands is the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community which would enable them to avail reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes OBC categoryHe has also sought the implementation of records mentioned in the Hyderabad and Satara Gazette documents which have been cited by activists as evidence supporting claims for Kunbi status for certain Maratha familiesIn addition Jarange has demanded the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against Maratha protesters during earlier phases of the reservation agitationDemand for dedicated ministryAnother key demand raised by the activist is the creation of a separate ministry dedicated to the welfare and development of the Maratha community similar to the existing department that looks after matters related to Other Backward ClassesAccording to Jarange a dedicated ministry would help ensure focused implementation of welfare schemes and address issues concerning the community more effectivelyReservation issue remains politically significantThe Maratha reservation issue continues to be one of Maharashtras most sensitive social and political matters with the state government facing pressure from various groups to find a legally sustainable solutionWhile the government has repeatedly stated that it is working on the issue community leaders have continued to demand faster implementation of commitments made during earlier rounds of negotiationsWith Jarange resuming his indefinite fast attention is once again likely to focus on the states efforts to address the longstanding reservation demands of the Maratha communityWith inputs from PTI