With the deadline set by him having ended on Tuesday, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is set to announce his decision to go on fast unto death Wednesday.
Jarange-Patil had given 40 days to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to announce reservations for the Maratha community.
On Tuesday, during his Dussehra speech at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, Shinde declared that his government is committed to providing reservations for the Maratha community. The Jarange-Patil camp, however, is unconvinced by his announcement.
‘Jarange-Patil will today announce the decision to go on fast unto death and urge the Maratha community to hunger strike throughout Maharashtra…Two days back, he had already announced this plan. Today, he will hold a press conference and put things into perspective,’ said a close associate.
In the past few days, Jarange-Patil had repeatedly said that he would not give even one hour or 15 minutes to the government beyond the October 24 deadline if the government failed to ensure reservation for the community.
‘October 24 is the last date for the government to announce reservations for the Maratha community. If the government fails to give reservation by then, from October 25, we will launch an intensified agitation. Our agitation will be peaceful but the government will find it difficult to handle it,’ Jarange-Patil had said repeatedly at his rallies and while interacting with reporters. ‘The government asked for 30 days; we gave it 10 more days,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said the government is determined to give reservation for the Maratha community but wants to ensure that it stands the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. ‘Unlike in the past when the reservation given by the state government failed in the apex court, we want to this time ensure that the reservation is upheld,’ she said.
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