Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has expressed support for the reservation of the Maratha community without affecting the quota of SC, ST, and OBC. He also urged Advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte to not oppose the Maratha reservation. Sadavarte was recently attacked by three individuals. Athawale clarified that the reservation does not mean that every member of the Maratha society will receive it.
Activist Manoj Jarange, who is observing an indefinite fast for the Maratha quota demand, on Saturday said a series of hunger strikes will begin in every village in Maharashtra from October 29 if the government fails to grant the reservation immediately.Jarange also said the government would be responsible if any harm befalls protesters sitting on fast during the protest.Addressing the media in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange announced that the second phase of the reservation movement had begun and the third phase would start on October 31. On the fourth day of his hunger strike, 40-year-old Jarange refused to be examined by doctors after Jalna district collector Shri Krishna Panchal and superintendent of police Shailesh Balkawade met him to enquire about his health.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis had stated that the state government was committed to granting reservations to the Maratha community that will stand legal scrutiny, without diluting quotas of other communities.However, Jarange had accused the government of dragging its feet on the quota commitment.