Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil began his 11th indefinite hunger strike on Saturday at Antarwali Sarati in Maharashtra's Jalna district, pressing the state government to issue Kunbi caste certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community.
The protest coincides with the third anniversary of the September 2023 police lathi-charge at Antarwali Sarati, an incident that became a major flashpoint in the Maratha reservation movement.
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Jarange's Key Demands
Jarange is demanding the issuance of Kunbi certificates to all eligible Maratha families based on historical records linked to approximately 58.9 lakh Kunbi-related entries identified across Maharashtra. He has also sought implementation of government decisions based on historical gazettes from Satara, Kolhapur, Aundh, Pune and Hyderabad.
His demands include resolving certificate rejections, delays and cancellations, as well as withdrawing police cases against Maratha protesters from earlier agitations.
Government Shares Certificate Data
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil arrived in the region on Friday and held discussions with officials before meeting Jarange. He said only a small proportion of applications had been rejected and urged eligible applicants with the required documents to approach district collectors within eight days.
According to government figures shared with Jarange's team, 14,31,634 applications had been submitted by August 24. Of these, 14,24,634 applicants had received Kunbi certificates, while 1,747 applications remained pending and 5,248 had been rejected.
Jarange, however, maintains that all recorded claimants should receive certificates. The government has said applications have not been received from all potential claimants and that pending application data has been shared with his team.
Support and Security Measures
Earlier discussions between Jarange and the government delegation failed to resolve the dispute. He has warned that the agitation could intensify and move towards Mumbai if his demands are not met.
Security has been strengthened at Antarwali Sarati, with around 350 police personnel and six State Reserve Police Force contingents deployed.
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Meanwhile, local organisations have announced plans for a 1,000-rickshaw rally from Dharashiv district in support of Jarange's agitation, with workers expected to travel to Antarwali Sarati.
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