Maratha quota advocate Manoj Jarange halted his protracted hunger strike concerning reservation issues after six days and issued a one-month ultimatum to the Maharashtra administration to accede to the community’s requisites. This proclamation followed a discussion with Maharashtra minister and member of the Maratha quota sub-committee, Shambhuraj Desai, along with Shiv Sena MP Sandipan Bhumre, who convened with him at his birthplace, Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, to deliberate the matter.

Addressing the gathering at the demonstration site, Jarange articulated, “We extend a month’s grace period to the authorities to meet the demands of the Maratha populace. However, we shall proceed with our groundwork for the impending legislative elections. Should the government fail to furnish us with the necessary reservation, we shall pursue it relentlessly.”

“In the event that our demands remain unmet within the stipulated timeframe, neither opposition nor ruling party affiliates ought to approach us. We shall thwart the electoral ambitions of contenders (in the state assembly elections) by publicly disclosing their identities,” he asserted. Jarange, who initiated a fresh protest on Saturday, has been advocating for the enactment of the draft notification recognizing Kunbis as “sage soyare” (blood relatives) of Maratha community members, as well as lobbying for legislation to categorize Kunbis as Marathas.

Kunbi, an agricultural community, is classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange has been urging the issuance of Kunbi certificates to all Marathas, thereby rendering them eligible for quota benefits. Following his discussion with Jarange, Minister Desai remarked, “A meeting shall be convened tomorrow (regarding the matter). Of the past five months, two months were spent adhering to the model code of conduct (for the Lok Sabha polls). We shall arrive at a favorable decision concerning the demands of the Maratha community within a month. Should additional personnel be necessitated to expedite proceedings, we shall seek the approval of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.”