Daijiworld Media Network - Jalna
Jalna, Sep 7: The health of Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil deteriorated further on Sunday evening as his indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati entered its ninth day, prompting a medical team, including the district surgeon and other health officials, to reach the protest site to assess his condition.
Jarange-Patil began the indefinite hunger strike on August 29, demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to eligible members of the Maratha community based on the nearly 58 lakh Kunbi-related records identified by the government. He has refused to withdraw the agitation until his demands are addressed.
According to reports, Jarange-Patil’s health had been deteriorating for several days and worsened further on Sunday evening. A medical team reached Antarwali Sarati during the night and made efforts to provide him with treatment. However, Jarange-Patil reportedly refused medical intervention, despite repeated appeals from the doctors to allow his health to be examined and treatment to be administered. He had earlier also refused medical check-ups and treatment during the fast.
The activist has been demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued on the basis of all 58 lakh records identified through the government’s exercise. He has also been pressing for the implementation of decisions relating to historical records and gazettes, including those associated with Hyderabad, Satara, Kolhapur and Aundh. His demands also include resolving rejected and pending caste-certificate applications and withdrawing cases registered against Maratha protesters during earlier agitations.
The government has maintained that the process of issuing Kunbi certificates is already underway. According to figures shared by the government, more than 14.31 lakh applications had been submitted by August 24, of which over 14.24 lakh applicants had received Kunbi certificates, while 1,747 applications were pending and 5,248 had been rejected. Jarange-Patil, however, has maintained that certificates should be issued against all the recorded Kunbi entries.
The agitation has seen several rounds of discussions between Jarange-Patil and government representatives. On September 2, BJP MLC Prasad Lad met him and assured him that the government would address the pending demands. Following the assurance, Jarange-Patil had agreed to take water and allow intravenous fluids for a period. A government delegation comprising ministers and senior officials subsequently met him, but the talks failed to persuade him to withdraw the hunger strike.
The government has been trying to prevent the agitation from escalating. Supporters of Jarange-Patil have already staged road blockades and called shutdowns in parts of Marathwada, including Beed, Latur and Dharashiv. Jarange-Patil has also indicated that the agitation could be intensified and moved towards Mumbai if his demands are not fulfilled. Recent reports say he has set a deadline around September 11-12 for the government to act.
Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai has appealed to Jarange-Patil to withdraw the hunger strike and take care of his health. Desai said that, following discussions with Jarange-Patil, the government had instructed the administration to display lists of Kunbi records in villages in accordance with the assurances given by the government.
Desai reiterated that the government was firm in its position that granting reservation to the Maratha community should not adversely affect any other community. He said the documentation and legal process related to Maratha reservation was being expedited and urged Jarange-Patil to accept medical treatment and end his fast in view of his deteriorating health.
Meanwhile, the agitation has also triggered a counter-response from sections of the OBC community. OBC representatives began a symbolic hunger strike near the protest site at Antarwali Sarati on September 6, expressing opposition to what they described as preferential treatment being given to the Maratha community and warning of its impact on existing OBC rights.
The worsening health of Jarange-Patil has increased pressure on the Maharashtra government to resolve the deadlock, while the administration is closely monitoring developments at Antarwali Sarati amid concerns that the agitation could intensify in the coming days.