Manoj Jarange Hardens Stand, Refuses Water and Medical Aid as Maratha Quota Fast Enters Day 8
Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil intensified his indefinite hunger strike for Maratha reservation at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, refusing both water and medical treatment.
Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil intensified his indefinite hunger strike for Maratha reservation at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, refusing both water and medical treatment. The decision marks a critical escalation in the agitation as the protest reached its eighth day, with the campaigner alleging that the Maharashtra state government has consistently failed to implement its prior assurances regarding the quota issue.
Health officials monitoring the situation expressed rising concern over Jarange’s deteriorating physical condition as a local medical team was turned back without performing basic health checks. The activist reiterated that he would not accept intravenous fluids, routine check-ups, or oral hydration until the administration issues concrete administrative orders satisfying the community's primary demands. Manoj Jarange Refuses To End Hunger Strike, Seeks Kunbi Certificates for Eligible Marathas.
At the core of the deadlock is the demand to grant all eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which would allow the community to access reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange insists that the government fast-track the issuance of these certificates based on nearly 5.8 million historical Kunbi records identified across state gazetteers. His key grievances also include the formal withdrawal of police cases filed against quota protesters and the immediate dissolution of district-level caste scrutiny committees, which he claims create unnecessary delays. Maratha Quota Row: Maharashtra Ministers Meet Manoj Jarange, Urge Him to End Hunger Strike; Activist Stands Firm.
While state government representatives and ministerial delegations have engaged in dialogue to urge Jarange to call off the fast, the activist maintained that previous verbal promises have yielded inadequate progress. Jarange has warned that if the state fails to issue a definitive Government Resolution (GR) by mid-September, the Maratha reservation movement will organize a mass march toward Mumbai to target key administrative centers.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2026 04:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
