Manoj Jarange-Patil Rejects Medical Aid And Water, Escalating Maratha Quota Hunger Strike

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil escalated his ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation as his indefinite hunger strike entered its eighth day, intensifying his protest by refusing water, intravenous fluids, and any form of medical treatment. He also declined medical examinations and barred doctors from assessing his condition, a move that has heightened concerns among supporters and officials regarding his deteriorating health.

Jarange-Patil said he would not accept any medical intervention until the government took concrete action on the ground to implement his demands for Maratha reservation, stating that treatment would only follow once tangible progress was made. He took the decision late Friday night, accusing the state government of failing to honor assurances it had previously made within an agreed timeframe. His central demand remains the immediate issuance of Kunbi caste certificates, including for individuals whose earlier applications for Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates had been rejected by the administration.

The activist began his current indefinite hunger strike on August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where large numbers of Maratha community supporters from across Maharashtra have gathered in solidarity with his cause. He had initially given the state government a two-day deadline to implement his demands before escalating the protest, and has since reiterated that he would not withdraw the agitation until the government moved forward with issuing certificates based on an estimated 58 lakh Kunbi records previously identified by a government-appointed committee.

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Ahead of the current escalation, a delegation of state ministers, including Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant, along with legislative council member Prasad Lad and legislator Makarand Patil, had met with Jarange-Patil earlier in the week and appealed to him to end his fast in light of his declining health. During that meeting, officials indicated that the government had already traced roughly 58 lakh Kunbi records and intended to expedite the certificate issuance process, though Jarange-Patil has maintained that no formal government resolution had yet been issued to guarantee that action.

Jarange-Patil's demand for a formal government resolution addressing the certificate issuance, along with related requests concerning historical princely-state records tied to the Maratha community's caste classification, has become a central sticking point in his negotiations with state authorities. He has previously conducted multiple rounds of hunger strikes over recent years pressing similar demands, with past agitations ending only after government delegations offered specific commitments or draft notifications addressing his concerns.

As the current strike continues without medical intervention, concern has grown among both his supporters and state officials over the activist's physical condition, given his refusal of water and intravenous fluids in addition to solid food. The Maharashtra government is expected to continue efforts to engage with Jarange-Patil in the coming days, as pressure builds both from his supporters gathered at the protest site and from broader public attention on the long-running Maratha reservation movement, which has remained one of the state's most significant and recurring political and social issues in recent years.

Also Read: Maratha Quota Stir: Manoj Jarange Sets Sept 12 Deadline, Warns of Massive Mumbai March