Jarange launches indefinite fast, accuses Fadnavis of ‘grudge’ against Marathas

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, activist Manoj Jarange began an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday, accusing Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of harboring a grudge against the Maratha community. He also blamed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for quietly supporting Fadnavis. Jarange addressed reporters at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, demanding the dissolution of the caste verification committee and threatening to march to Fadnavis' residence in Mumbai if the government fails to address the pending quota issues.

Fadnavis allegedly holds a grudge against the Maratha community, while Shinde is said to be providing covert support through Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat. Jarange has led nine hunger strikes since August-September 2023, all aimed at recognizing eligible Marathas as Kunbis, an agrarian community that benefits from reservation in education and jobs under the Other Backward Class category.

He claims the state government does not want the Maratha community to progress and refuses to issue certificates to Maratha youth due to jealousy. The activist argues that the government should eliminate the caste verification committee, as authorities are rejecting valid claims and documentary evidence. Jarange stressed that the protest is focused on securing the future of Maratha youth and maintaining uniformity in the law across states.