Manoj Jarange Patil, a Maratha quota campaigner, called off his extended hunger strike on Monday (26th February) after 17 days.
The move came a day after Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde warned Jarange Patil not to “cross his limits” after the latter claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was planning to “eliminate” him.
On Monday, Jarange assailed Fadnavis again, claiming that he was determined to replicate the Antarwali-Saraati affair in which police lathi-charged Maratha demonstrators.
“I am withdrawing my indefinite hunger strike after 17 days. This hunger strike is being converted into relay hunger strike. Every day, four youths will sit on relay hunger strike. Similar, relay hunger strike should be organised by Maratha community all over the state,”Jarange Patil remarked as he ended his hunger strike.
Jarange Patil’s say on ending the strike
“Over 25,000 people, including 5,000 women, gathered at Antarwali-Saraati last night. Anything may have occurred. The audience would have scattered. Fadnavis planned to establish a second Antarwali-Saraati. I rescued the situation. If there had been a lathi charge, the Marathas would have rioted. I rescued Maharashtra. Fadnavis was responsible for the first lathi charge at Antarwali-Saraati. Even today, he is planning to repeat it. He has refused to withdraw cases against Maratha demonstrators. “I urge the chief minister and both deputy chief ministers not to incite the Maratha community,” he said.
Following the September 1 lathi charge in Antarwali-Saraati, Jarange Patil has frequently targeted Fadnavis, who also holds the home ministry.
The deputy chief minister has declined to meet with the activist and has not yet visited Antarwali-Saraati. Jarange Patil stated that the police had enforced a curfew in several areas, preventing people from visiting Antarwali-Saraati.
“I planned to visit many villages in Maharashtra and meet with the locals. “I will not back down until the law relating to’sage-soyare’ is implemented,” the quota campaigner stated.
Meanwhile, later that evening, Jarange Patil was brought to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar as his health began to deteriorate. The physicians told him to rest for 4-5 days.
