MUMBAI: Pro-Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil on Wednesday resumed his fast unto-death protest at Sarati village in Jalna to press for the demand of reservation for the Maratha community from the Maharashtra government. Patil, while resuming his agitation, said the 40-day period sought by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his colleagues to decide on the reservation was over on October 24.
“As Marathas are large-hearted, we gave the government 10 more days. Now 40 days are over and I had no other option but to resume my protest for our long pending demand. Forty-nine Maratha youths have already sacrificed their life for the cause. Unless and until our demands are fulfilled, I will not withdraw my agitation,” Patil asserted.
The protest comes a day after Shinde, during his annual Dusshera rally speech on Tuesday, bowed before the bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji and vowed to get the reservation to the Maratha community. The chief minister said he comes from the Maratha community and understands the pain. Senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan, who was earlier successful in pursuing Patil to withdraw his fast, telephoned him on Wednesday and reportedly sought more time to grant reservation. However, Patil told Mahajan that he was unable to see any development.
“There is no progress at all even after 40 days. We are not in the mood to listen to fake promises. We want action. Even the cases filed against the Maratha youths have not been withdrawn despite promised. How can we believe the government?” Patil questioned.
Patil had called off his indefinite hunger strike on September 14 after Shinde had personally called on him in Jalna and persuaded him. Shinde had assured the community that a decision on the quota issue would be taken in 40 days. The opposition has extended its support to Patil and asked the Centre and state “to work seriously over the matter” and “not play with people by making false promises.”
‘No development’
Patil told Senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan that he was unable to see any development. “There is no progress at all even after 40 days. We are not in the mood to listen to fake promises. We want action. Even the cases filed against the Maratha youths have not been withdrawn despite promised. How can we believe the government?” Patil questioned. He had called off his indefinite hunger strike on September 14.