Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday ended his nine-day hunger strike—his sixth fast this year—demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Speaking to supporters in his native village of Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district, Jarange explained that he called off the fast out of respect for the sentiments of the Maratha community, but reaffirmed his determination to continue the fight for their rights.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing a gathering in Navi Mumbai, stressed the need for any reservation to withstand legal scrutiny. He outlined several initiatives the state government has taken to support the Maratha community, including new opportunities in police recruitment.
“The Sarthi initiative has produced 12 IAS, 18 IPS, and 480 MPSC officers from the Maratha community,” Fadnavis said, referring to the government-backed institute aimed at the social and economic upliftment of Marathas and Kunbi-Marathas.
Fadnavis assured that efforts were underway to secure a reservation for Marathas within the bounds of the law, stating, “It is necessary to ensure that any reservation granted by the government is upheld in court.”
In February, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill providing a 10% reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category. However, Jarange remains steadfast in his demand for the community’s inclusion in the OBC category.
(With inputs from PTI)