To discuss the Maratha reservation issue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, traveled to Delhi on Wednesday.
Important details were reportedly discussed during the meeting, which took place as activist Manoj Jarange-Patil was about to expire his 40-day deadline to the Maharashtra government to provide reservations to the Maratha community. In response, the activist launched an indefinite hunger strike.
After the meeting, the two came back late yesterday night.
At his hometown of Antarwali Sarati village in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district on Wednesday morning, 40-year-old Jarange expressed his dissatisfaction over the state government’s “failure” to take action for providing quota to the Maratha community.
He said that he would not wait any longer and that he had given the authorities enough time.He said that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was under duress to refuse the Maratha community’s “rightful demand” and accused the administration of instigating some people against them.
Approximately thirty percent of the people of the state are members of the politically powerful Maratha community.
“I had given the administration till the end of 40 days to keep its word about the Maratha reservation.That time has passed.The administration did not make a decision. I had no option but to use this severe form of protest since it didn’t respond, Manoj Jarange-Patil said.
“The chief minister of Maharashtra requested that I hold off for forty days until the government makes a decision about Maratha reservation. But he didn’t, so I’ve made the decision to begin a death-fast in my village,” he declared, adding that he has no fear of dying.
“Every diligent Maratha is on my side. Since the government isn’t paying attention to us, did we do anything wrong? We are asking for our rights, within the bounds of the constitution. Families of Maratha people suffer greatly. Jarange said, “We’re not even treating it as an emotional problem.
“Without doing injustice to anyone and without withdrawing (reservation of anyone), this government will provide a quota to the Maratha community that will last permanently,” Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Tuesday at a Dussehra rally in Mumbai.
Amid his remarks, Shinde pledged to provide the Maratha community the quota and bowed before the bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the dais.As a member of a typical Maratha household, Shinde claimed to comprehend their suffering.