Activist Manoj Jarange is currently in the grip of an indefinite hunger strike, which has now started his fifth day, while he argues for the recording of the Maratha community under the other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Launched on January 25, 2025, this marks the seventh protest of Jarange in just over a year. According to news items, the health of the Maratha Quota activist has now deteriorated.
The health of Manoj Jarange Patil is said to have begun to deteriorate, but he remains determined in refusing intravenous liquids, despite the supplications of health officials and local leaders.
PTI Reported that on the morning of January 29, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas visited him at the protest location in Antarwali Sarati, located in the Jalna district of Maharashtra, and encourages him to reconsider his position on medical intervention.
Civil surgeon of the Dr. District. RS Patil and a medical team were present at the protest location. They asked Jarange to accept medical intervention, but he refused to admit.
Jarange had some water on Monday evening after a request from the local population.
Also on Tuesday, after a request from the Santosh Deshmukh family, the activist agreed to have water. However, he has refused to take intravenous liquids despite repeated requests, according to health officials.
The hunger strike of Manoj Jarange Patil has attracted a lot of attention, especially because it coincides with broader calls for justice after the murder of Santosh Dshmukh, a local Sarpanch that was killed tragically in December 9, 2024.
Jarange has demanded the death penalty for those responsible for the death of Dshmukh, who has added his protests. The police of Maharashtra have arrested seven people so far.
The activist and 104 other activists, including women, initiated this hunger strike to put pressure on the Devendra Fadnavis government to implement a draft report that Kunbis recognizes as 'Sage soy' (blood relatives) of Marathas.
This recognition is crucial for granting reservation rights in the context of the OBC category. Despite earlier legal efforts that yielded a separate reservation of 10% for Marathas in Education and Jobs of the Government, Jarange insists that this is insufficient and continues to insist on OBC classification.
The activist expressed the hope that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would tackle the requirements of the Maratha community on Saturday, including their admission under the OBC category.
This is the seventh indefinite indefinite feather of Manoj Jarange Patil since 1 September 2023, when police protesters in Antarwali Sarati Lathi.
