Jarange launched his 11th indefinite fast over Maratha reservation-related demands at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Saturday, where thousands of community members have gathered to support his agitation. He has been demanding that eligible Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian community that enjoys reservation benefits in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. “The Maharashtra government should declare all Marathas as Kunbi,” the activist told reporters on the second day of his agitation. Jarange said that if the government failed to accept the demands, he would march to Mumbai and intensify the agitation.
Also read: Manoj Jarange vows Mumbai march as Maratha quota fast enters second day
A meeting of Maratha community‘s core committee, led by him, would be held in Antarwali Sarati on September 12 to decide on a hunger strike in Mumbai. “If the government accepts our demands by September 12, there will be no need to hold the proposed fast in Mumbai,” the activist said.
