A 12-point proposal by the Maharashtra government to solve several issues in the Maratha reservation movement ended Manoj Jarange-Patil’s indefinite starvation strike early Sunday morning.
Jarange-Patil staged his ninth indefinite fast by sitting on a dharani (bench) in Antarwali Sarati village in the Jalna district on Saturday. He decided to sit, unlike the past protests, in the open without any shelter in spite of the intense summer temperatures, which raised concerns about his health. The protest was immediately given attention by the political class and senior government officials took to negotiations.
After midnight, a team led by state minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, BJP MLC Prasad Lad held a meeting with Jarange-Patil and presented him with a comprehensive proposal on the government’s response to his demands. After a discussion, the activist agreed to stop the fast at around 1.30 a.m. by taking a drink of fruit juice.
His top demands included the issuing of Kunbi certificates for around 5.8 million historical Kunbi records, withdrawal of cases against protesting members of the Maratha community, financial compensation for the families of the protestors who died, the quicker issuance of caste validity certificates and the formation of a department to cater to the problems of the Maratha community.
The government has reportedly agreed to hasten the process of verification of case certificates, provide details of records of Kunbi, create special helplines dedicated to reservation issues and take into account recommendations associated with Satara Gazetteer. The development is seen as a big move in the direction of easing tensions arising from the prolonged Maratha reservation movement, but it is believed that talks on some issues will be held in the coming months.