Won't end fast till Marathas get Kunbi certificates: Activist Manoj Jarange

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange hardened his position on Saturday asserting that his fast will go on till Marathas in Maharashtra get Kunbi certificates under the OBC category and threatened to stop taking water and medicines from Sunday reported the PTIManoj Jarange whose hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district for reservation for the community in government jobs and education entered 12th day also rejected the fresh outcome of talks held with a delegation of Maratha community leaders and the government late Friday night in Mumbai according to the PTIOur demand is that the Maratha community in Maharashtra get Kunbi caste certificates Manoj Jarange said the news agency reported on SaturdayEarlier this week the Maharashtra cabinet decided that Kunbi caste certificates would be issued to those Marathas hailing from the Marathwada region who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as KunbisAnnouncing the cabinet decision Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that he would also speak with his Telangana counterpart for any help in this matter Based on the cabinet decision a Government Resolution GR was issued on September 7 but it failed to placate JarangeKunbis a community associated with agriculture are grouped under the Other Backward Classes OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs The Marathwada region was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad kingdom before it became part of MaharashtraMeanwhile CM Shinde and deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis Ajit Pawar met a delegation of Maratha leaders on Friday night following which a sealed envelope was sent to Jarange However he was not pleased with the outcome of the meetingManoj Jarange said they had suggested that the GR be revised to give Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community across Maharashtra That did not happen he said according to the PTIThe GR brought by the government earlier this week states that one has to give genealogy documents and evidence for procuring the Kunbi certificate and this was also subject to a report by a panel formed by the government to look into the issueManoj Jarange has made three more demands apart from seeking revision in the September 7 GRThe activist has said that the government had brought out a GR in 2004 recognising Kunbis MarathaKunbis and KunbiMarathas as OBCs Other Backward Classes but it was too rigid and did not benefit those who deserved quota He has asked the government to amend that GRHe has also demanded action against those policemen who lathicharged protesters in Jalna district last week and the withdrawal of police cases against the agitatorsThe Maratha quota matter snowballed into a major challenge for the state government after the police last week batoncharged a violent mob at Antarwali Sarati when protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift Jarange to hospitalSeveral persons including 40 police personnel were injured and more than 15 state transport buses were set ablaze in the violenceThe police action in Jalna triggered more protests by the community across the state and a war of words between the ruling dispensation and the oppositionAmid the developments Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that the government regretted the use of forcewith PTI inputs