Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has announced that he will break his indefinite fast on Thursday. Jarange said he would approach a different strategy in the ongoing battle for Maratha reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He along with 104 activists, including women, had launched the hunger strike on January 25, to demand reservations for the Maratha community.
While the demand for quota remains at the forefront of his movement, Jarange has also raised his voice for justice in the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district. Deshmukh was abducted, tortured, and killed on December 9, 2024. Jarange has demanded capital punishment for those responsible, further intensifying the pressure on authorities.
“I have decided to withdraw fast on Thursday as I have decided to adopt a different strategy moving forward. The government should clarify whether it intends to grant the Maratha community reservation,” he said on Wednesday night.
Jarange accuses CM Fadnavis of misleading Maratha community
Jarange also accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of misleading the Maratha community. “I asked Fadnavis to clarify his stand by the evening, but he remained silent. My fast was meant to expose those who truly support the cause and those who do not. “I will not let the CM rest. The Maratha community now knows who is at fault. After coming to power, Fadnavis deceived Marathas and kept mum on the reservation issue, but I will not spare him,” Jarange said.
Jarange’s hunger strike
Earlier in the day, Jarange refused to take intravenous fluids even as his health deteriorated on the fifth day of the fast, officials said. Jarange had some water on Monday night after a request by locals. On Tuesday also, after a request from Santosh Deshmukh’s family, the activist agreed to drink water. However, he has refused to take intravenous fluids despite repeated requests, as per health officials.
Jarange has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) of Maratha community members for granting reservation to the latter under the OBC category. This is his seventh indefinite fast since September 1, 2023, when police lathi-charged protesters at Antarwali Sarati.
(With PTI inputs)
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