Ahmednagar: Hunger strike for Dhangar reservation ends after 21 days with Girish Mahajan's intervention

After a 21-day hunger strike demanding Dhangar reservation, the protest at Chaundhi in Ahmednagar has come to an end, thanks to the intervention of Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan.

After receiving written assurances from the government, Yashwant Sena office-bearers have finally ended their hunger strike after 21 days. Girish Mahajan arrived at the hunger strike site today and engaged in discussions with the hunger strikers. He also had a two-hour-long telephone conversation with the chief minister and deputy chief minister to find a solution.

Yashwant Sena office-bearers, including Balasaheb Doltade, Annasaheb Rupanwar, and Suresh Bandgar, finally ended their fast by accepting coconut water from Minister Girish Mahajan. The hunger strike was primarily aimed at advocating for the inclusion of the Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Earlier discussions in Mumbai regarding Dhangar reservation with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister had failed, leading to the initiation of the hunger strike. However, after a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday evening, Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan returned to Chaundhi, where a resolution was eventually reached, bringing an end to the 21-day hunger strike.

During the discussions held in the presence of Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, protesters expressed their discontent with Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and MP Sujay Vikhe Patil, raising slogans of protest against Guardian Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and condemning MP Sujay Vikhe-Patil.