Manoj Jarange said he was giving one month’s time to the Maharashtra government so that a state-appointed committee could prepare its report on the reservation.
Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Tuesday said he was ready to end his indefinite hunger strike, but his protest would continue until the Maharashtra government started issuing Kunbi (sub-caste) certificates to the members of the Maratha community from the Marathwada region.
The state government on Tuesday issued orders suspending additional superintendent of police Rahul Khade and sub-divisional police officer Mukund Aghav — both of whom were involved in the baton charge on the pro-Maratha quota protesters at Artarwali Sarthi village. Besides the two officers, the government has already sent Jalan SP Tushar Doshi on compulsory leave. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)
Jarange-Patil, a farmer from Jalna district, 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. He demanded that chief minister Eknath Shinde, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bhosale and former MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati should be present during his withdrawal of hunger strike.
Jarange-Patil has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village since August 29, demanding that Marathas from the central Maharashtra region be extended reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category by declaring them as Kunbis.
“If I am to end my fast, the state government should first start issuing (Kunbi) caste certificates to the Maratha community. All the police cases (against Maratha quota protesters) should be withdrawn, the police officers who ordered the lathi-charge should be suspended,” he said, while addressing the community members at the protest site.
“The third condition is the presence of chief minister Eknath Shinde, both deputy chief ministers, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati should be present at the time of the withdrawal of the fast. All these assurances should be given in writing,” he added. Udayanraje and Sambhajiraje are the descendants of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Earlier in the morning, state minister Sandipan Bhumare and Shiv Sena leader Arjun Khotkar met Jarange-Patil with assurance from the government to meet his demands. Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide also met him and requested him to withdraw the fast.
On Monday, Shinde chaired an all-party meeting in Mumbai to discuss the Maratha quota issue. Later, he announced the suspension of three senior police officers involved in lathi-charge on agitators in Jalna on September 1. He also announced withdrawal of cases registered against the protesters early this month and set a deadline of one month to the panel set up to decide how to give Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in Marathwada region.
Following the CM’s assurance, Jarange-Patil started taking medical treatment.
“I am ready to give the state government one month’s time so that the committee prepares a report. I have made it clear to the state government that whether its report is positive or negative, it will have to start issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community from the 31st day,” Jarange-Patil told the gathering on Tuesday afternoon. “…I am ready to withdraw my fast, but I will not vacate this place.”
After Jarange-Patil’s announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Shinde, who was in Jalgaon, sent industries minister Uday Samant to meet the activist in Jalna. The state government is likley to request Jarange-Patil to call off the hunger strike with a promise that the chief minister and his two deputies would meet him when they visit Aurangabad scheduled on September 16, an official familiar with the matter said.
The state government on Tuesday issued orders suspending additional superintendent of police Rahul Khade and sub-divisional police officer Mukund Aghav — both of whom were involved in the baton charge on the pro-Maratha quota protesters at Artarwali Sarthi village. Besides the two officers, the government has already sent Jalan SP Tushar Doshi on compulsory leave.
According to state home department officials, the process of withdrawal of cases against protesters has begun.
The state government has set up a five-member panel headed by retired judge Sandeep Shinde to determine the legal and administrative framework for giving caste certificates to Maratha community members from Marathwada region who have been described as Kunbis in the pre-Independence Nizam-era documents.
The Marathwada region — comprising Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani districts — was part of the Nizam’s Hyderabad state till 1948.
Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times’ Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra government’s administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others.Read More
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