Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday said he is ready to withdraw his indefinite hunger strike, but will not leave the protest site until the state government starts issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community from the Marathwada region.
He also said that he is giving one month's time to the Maharashtra government so that the state-appointed committee prepares its report over the Maratha reservation.
"If I am to discontinue my fast, the state government should first start issuing (Kunbi) caste certificates to the Maratha community. All the police cases (against Maratha quota protesters) should be withdrawn, the police officials who ordered the lathicharge should be suspended, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, both deputy chief ministers, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati should be present at the time of the withdrawal of the fast. All these assurances should be given in writing," he told the gathering at the protest site.
Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati are descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Jarange, aged around 40, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district of central Maharashtra, more than 400 kms from here, demanding reservation in jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for the Maratha community.
The state government has set up a five-member panel headed by Judge Sandeep Shinde (retired) to determine the Standard Operating Procedures, including legal and administrative framework, for giving caste certificates to Maratha community members referred to as Kunbis (part of OBCs now) in Nizam-era documents. This will allow Marathas from the Marathwada region to avail quota benefits under the OBC category.
Marathwada region comprises eight districts - Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani.
Addressing a gathering at the protest site on Tuesday afternoon, Jarange said, "I am ready to give the state government one month's time so that the committee prepares a report. I have made it clear to the state government that whether its report is positive or negative, it will have to start issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community."
"I am walking two steps backwards so that the defamation of my community stops. I am ready to withdraw my fast, but I will not vacate this place," he said.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday presided over an all-party meeting in Mumbai held in the backdrop of the ongoing Maratha quota agitation led by Jarange.
Shinde later said all parties attending the meeting passed a resolution requesting Jarange to withdraw his fast.
The CM announced the withdrawal of police cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district, the epicentre of the latest round of stir on the issue.
He also announced the suspension of three police officials involved in lathi-charge on quota agitators in Jalna earlier this month.
On Tuesday, state minister Sandipan Bhumre and Shiv Sena leader from Jalna Arjun Khotkar met Jarange and shared the resolutions passed at the all-party meeting. Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide also met and requested him to withdraw his fast.
However, Jarange maintained that he would continue his protest as there has been no concrete decision from the state government over his demand for quota for the Maratha community.
Later in the afternoon, he also said that he was planning to hold a rally of the Maratha community at the protest site on October 12.
"It will be attended by all the Marathas. It will show our plight and disappointment.... I will continue my protest here and will not even see the faces of my children till then," he said.
