Jarange hardens stand; refuses water, medical treatment as hunger strike for quota enters 8th day

Jalna, Manoj Jarange's stir for Maratha quota entered the eighth day on Saturday, with the activist intensifying it by refusing to take water or medical treatment while alleging that the Maharashtra government had failed to implement assurances given to him.

Jarange, earlier in the week, had agreed to consume water and receive intravenous fluids following an appeal by a state government delegation, but has now withdrawn his consent.

He refused medical examination by doctors at the protest site in Antarwali Sarati here, asserting that he would not accept any treatment until his demands were actually implemented on the ground.


"Until the government implements all our demands on the ground, I will not take anything and will not undergo any treatment," Jarange told media here even as a medical team made attempts to persuade him to change his mind.

The Mahayuti government had assured him that work on records pertaining to around 58 lakh Marathas would be initiated so as to provide the community quota in jobs and educational institutions but nothing had begun on this front, Jarange alleged.

The process related to the Hyderabad Gazette hadn't started either, he claimed.

The government's assurance of communicating information regarding the reservation issue to villagers through public announcements has also not been implemented, he told reporters.

A government delegation had earlier said that a decision on his demands would be communicated within one or two days.

However, Jarange has maintained that he will not withdraw his agitation until the demands are implemented. He has also reiterated his resolve to proceed to Mumbai on September 12 if the demands are not addressed.

Jarange has demanded a Government Resolution (GR) by September 12 regarding the issuance of Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas, which will allow community members to get quota under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

On Thursday, a government delegation of Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant and MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Makarand Patil had met Jarange and appealed him to end his fast in view of his deteriorating health.

The government had traced around 58 lakh Kunbi records and would expedite the issuance of Kunbi certificates, Vikhe Patil had said.