As his indefinite hunger strike entered its eighth day, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil intensified his agitation by refusing water, intravenous fluids and any medical treatment.
Jarange-Patil said, “I will accept no medical intervention until the government implements my demands for Maratha reservation on the ground. There will be no treatment until there is action.”
Jarange-Patil took the decision late Friday night, accusing the government of failing to honour its assurances within the promised deadline. He wants the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to be started immediately, including for those whose claims for OBC caste certificates were rejected by the administration.
He also refused medical examinations and barred doctors from assessing his condition, despite growing concerns over his health.
Demanding the immediate issuance of Kunbi certificates and giving the government two days to implement his demands, Jarange-Patil began his indefinite hunger strike on August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where large numbers of Maratha supporters from across Maharashtra have gathered in his support.
Earlier, on September 2, Jarange-Patil agreed to consume water and allowed doctors to administer intravenous fluids after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Prasad Lad, considered close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, visited the protest site and assured him that the government would address the pending demands of the Maratha community.
Lad assured Jarange-Patil that the demands would be addressed before September 17, observed as Marathwada Liberation Day. He also said the process of issuing Kunbi certificates under the Hyderabad Gazette would begin from noon on September 3.
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A day later, a government delegation comprising ministers and senior officials met Jarange-Patil in an effort to persuade him to withdraw the hunger strike. The delegation included ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Uday Samant, Makarand Patil and Lad. Despite their efforts, Jarange-Patil refused to back down.
His latest decision to reject even medical intervention has significantly raised the stakes, putting mounting pressure on the state government to resolve the standoff before the situation escalates further. Any further deterioration could fuel resentment within the politically influential Maratha community and intensify the pressure on the government.
The agitation has already begun spilling onto the streets. On Thursday, Jarange-Patil’s supporters blocked major state and national highways and enforced a shutdown in at least three districts of the Marathwada region, including Beed, Latur and Dharashiv, as part of efforts to step up pressure on the state government.
