Jarange-Patil goes off water again, warns Maha govt of ‘consequences’

JALNA: Toughening his stance on the Maratha reservation issue, Shivba Sanghatana President Manoj Jarange-Patil went off water on Wednesday, the eighth day of his indefinite hunger strike, and warned that “the government will have to face the consequences”.

Speaking to the media while lying on his mattress on a stage here, a visibly weak Jarange-Patil vowed that he will not back off till full quotas are given to the Maratha community under the ‘Kunbi Caste’ for which he has been on an agitation since Aug. 29.

“The people of Maharashtra are strongly resenting the government’s delay tactics… Though the documentary evidence is available, we are being denied reservation,” alleged Jarange-Patil, surrounded by hundreds of anxious villagers and his team.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, he said that by seeking further extension to fulfil the demands of the Marathas, the Maharashtra government is “trying to kill time.”

He added that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will have to bear the repercussions of their acts.

On Monday, following his deteriorating health, he had resumed drinking water, bowing to the pleas from the people in and around Antaravali-Sarati village.

A day later, he even accepted a glass of water from the visiting Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj – the 12th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj – but also made it clear that unless the Maratha quotas were announced before November 1, he would again go off water.

In Mumbai, the CM convened an all-party meeting in the morning where 32 top leaders were present.

The gathering adopted a unanimous resolution declaring that the reservations to the Maratha community would be given, but the government needed time to hammer out the legalities and ensure that it withstands legal scrutiny.

Allaying apprehensions of the OBCs, Shinde reassured that the Maratha quotas will be given without disturbing the reservation available to any other community.

Jarange-Patil however, rejected the plea by all political parties, and also the state government’s decision to start issuing ‘Kunbi Caste’ certificates to those whose documents were found by a state-appointed panel, the retired Justice Sandeep Shinde Committee.