Manoj Jarange-Patil, a prominent activist advocating for the Maratha quota, concluded his 20-day hunger strike. He has given the Maharashtra state government a three-month period to address his demands, according to reports from the news agency PTI.
This comes a day after he said he will resume his journey to Mumbai to stage an agitation on Thursday afternoon. I will undergo treatment tonight and will leave tomorrow.” But I will leave for Mumbai tomorrow after 1 pm.
If anyone stopped him on the way, members of the Maratha community should set out for Maharashtra’s capital, he said. Speaking to the media, he had said, ”I was not going to listen to anyone, but religious leaders from Narayangad asked me to take medication.
After maintaining a firm stand for nearly a week, the state government softened its position and sent a draft proposal to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Wednesday, the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike. ”I will not announce any date for members of the Maratha community to come to Mumbai. A new draft (of proposals) may come from the government in an hour or so.
Jarange-Patil, however, had said that he is determined to reach Mumbai on September 18 and lead the protest but is open to dialogue with the government.
So I will not announce the date now,” he said. “The government should also ensure that caste validity committees clear all the certificates issued by the government,” he said, insisting that the assurances come from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
