"Tell Us What Is Done Before...": Maratha Quota Activist Asks Ministers

The Maharashtra ministers who came to Antarwali Sarati in Jalna to meet Maratha quota agitators must say before December 17 what they have done about the demand since the community feels it is being fooled, activist Manoj Jarange said here on Friday.

Jarange had sat on a hunger strike in August-September and again after Dussehra in October seeking reservation for the Maratha community. He had sought Kunbi certificates for the community. Kunbis are part of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) segment in the state.

While getting him to call off his fast, several ministers had met him in Antarwali Sarati, the site of the quota protest, and had assured him the state government would give the Maratha community justice.

Speaking to reporters in a hospital where he is recuperating, Jarange said, "Ministers Atul Save, Dhananjay Munde, Uday Samant and others who came to Antarwali Sarati must say before December 17 what they have done about the quota demand." "Or else, once we call for (another) agitation, we will not turn back. If they don't speak, the community will feel it is being fooled," Jarange claimed.

Jarange said the assurances given by the government, which he claimed are on paper, will be revealed if the ministers don't speak up.

While calling off his second fast on November 2, Jarange had set December 24 as the deadline before the government to give reservation to Marathas.

On Thursday, he told reporters a meeting will be held at Antarwali Sarati village to decide on how to take the agitation forward.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)