Manoj Jarange warns of fresh agitation from Oct 25 if demands are not met

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday promised a fresh agitation from October 25 if demands of the community are not met reported news agency PTITalking to reporters in Akhluj in Solapur district he said his ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to provide reservations in jobs and educational institutions to the Maratha community is till October 24 reported PTII dont know what the government is doing Tomorrow we will hold a meeting in Antarwali village in Jalna to chart out our next course of action The government will not be able to withstand a peaceful agitation by the Maratha community he assertedJarange brought the Maratha quota stir on to the centre stage of the states politics after he started an indefinite hunger strike in Antarwali Sarati in Jalna on August 29Police action at the hunger strike venue on September 1 which led to injuries to several persons ensured the stir made national headlines reported PTIJarange ended his hunger strike on September 14 after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met him at the venue and assured that the government would take a positive stand on his demandsSpeaking at the time Jarange had said agitators have given the state one months time to ensure reservation for Marathas He had then set October 24 as the deadline for the government to announce quota for the community reported PTIMeanwhile activist Manoj Jarange said on Friday that he will not step back an inch until the Marathas got reservation and demanded that all Marathas in Maharashtra should be given the Kunbi certificate so that they can get the benefit of quota under the OBC category reported news agency PTISpeaking at a huge rally at Rajgurunagar in Pune district Jarange also appealed to the community members not to resort to violence or any extreme step like suicide He will explain the further course of action for the agitation on Sunday he said reported PTIYesterday one of our brothers Sunil Kawale ended his life while seeking quota in Mumbai In the last more than a month 15 to 16 people from the community have ended their lives In the past 47 people from the community ended their lives As a community we will not allow their sacrifices to go to waste he saidHad the government agreed to give quota to the Marathas earlier these deaths could have been avoided Jarange said reported PTIWe started this agitation on August 29 The fight is going on even today One of our brothers opined that there should be thoka thoki violent agitation nowbut because of our peaceful approach the issue has reached the stage of decisionmaking process Now no one has the courage to stop this agitation I have given my word to everyone that reservation will be obtained in a peaceful manner and I will not step back an inch until the community gets reservation he addedMarathas across the state should be given Kunbi certificates he demanded The Kunbi community enjoys reservation under the Other Backward Classes OBC category in Maharashtra reported PTIWith inputs from PTI