Manoj Jarange ended his 20-day hunger strike after government talks.
Cabinet ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Dada Bhuse, along with BJP MLA from Ashti Suresh Dhas and BNP MLC Prasad Lad, reached Patoda around 5.40am to discuss Jarange’s demands on behalf of the govt. Following the talks, Jarange announced that he was suspending his fast for 90 days, saying there had been positive discussions on his five main demands.
He also demanded a written assurance that not a single record would be deleted from the nearly 58 lakh records identified in the process of establishing Maratha-Kunbi links. Earlier reporting noted: Jarange calls off 20-day-old fast, gives three months’ ‘ultimatum’ to govt Beed, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday called off his 20-day-old fast, and warned the Maharashtra Government that he would take the protest to Mumbai if his demands over Maratha reservation were not considered in three months. Earlier reporting noted: The development came days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government won’t tolerate any intimidating tactics and questioned the timing of the agitation during the ongoing Ganesh festival.
Jarange said the suspension of the hunger strike did not mean the end of his agitation. “If the government betrays us, we will go to Mumbai,” Jarange warned, while appealing to over 1 lakh of his supporters who according to him had travelled towards Mumbai, to return home. He said he was prepared to trust the government for three months following the discussions at Patoda. Before announcing the suspension of his fast, Jarange also said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was not his enemy and indicated that he would continue to maintain affection for Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while making it clear that he would not compromise on the demands of the Maratha community.
This was Jarange’s 11th agitation over the past three years. He gave the government three months to issue the necessary government resolution and implement the Gazetteer-related measures.
Earlier reporting noted: Jarange made the announcement after talks with a government delegation which included ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Dada Bhuse, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Suresh Dhas and senior officials, at Patoda in Beed district. CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday morning called off his indefinite hunger strike on its 20th day after a government delegation held talks with him at Patoda in Beed district and sought three months to address his key demands.