Jalna, Manoj Jarange’s stir for Maratha quota entered the eighth day on Saturday, with the activist intensifying it by refusing to take water or medical treatment while alleging that the Maharashtra government had failed to implement assurances given to him.
Government to Expedite Kunbi Certificate Issuance
A government delegation has announced that it will communicate its decision regarding demands related to Kunbi certificates within the next one or two days. In a related update, the government has identified approximately 58 lakh Kunbi records and is prioritizing the issuance of these certificates, according to Vikhe Patil.
Protestor Withdraws Medical Consent Amid Ongoing Demands
Jarange, a protestor in Antarwali Sarati, initially agreed to consume water and receive intravenous fluids after a state government delegation appealed to him. However, he has since retracted his consent. He is refusing medical examination by doctors present at the protest site, stating that he will not accept any treatment until his demands are addressed and implemented on the ground.
On Thursday, a government delegation of Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant and MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Makarand Patil had met Jarange and appealed him to end his fast in view of his deteriorating health. The process related to the Hyderabad Gazette hadn’t started either, he claimed. However, Jarange has maintained that he will not withdraw his agitation until the demands are implemented.
The Mahayuti government had assured him that work on records pertaining to around 58 lakh Marathas would be initiated so as to provide the community quota in jobs and educational institutions but nothing had begun on this front, Jarange alleged. He has also reiterated his resolve to proceed to Mumbai on September 12 if the demands are not addressed. Jarange has demanded a Government Resolution by September 12 regarding the issuance of Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas, which will allow community members to get quota under the Other Backward Classes .
“Until the government implements all our demands on the ground, I will not take anything and will not undergo any treatment,” Jarange told media here even as a medical team made attempts to persuade him to change his mind. The government’s assurance of communicating information regarding the reservation issue to villagers through public announcements has also not been implemented, he told reporters.
