Mumbai, Jan 29: Even as pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is on an indefinite hunger strike since last Saturday to press for the inclusion of the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, the BJP-led MahaYuti government has so far adopted a wait and watch approach.
Jarange-Patil's health has reportedly started deteriorating, and he has been refusing intravenous fluids, despite repeated pleas from health officials and local leaders.
He is said to be not happy with the government's move to enact legislation providing 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community.
Jarange-Patil is reiterating his demand for the inclusion of the Maratha community under the OBC category.
He has been quite vocal over the demand to implementation of the draft notification that recognised Kunbis as "sage soyare" ( blood relatives) of Maratha community members for granting reservation to the latter under the OBC category.
Jarange-Patil's agitation coincides with the statewide protests against the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district.
The protesters include members from ruling and opposition parties in addition to various social and non-government organisations who are at the forefront to demand the resignation of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde as his close associate Walmik Karad, who is currently in jail and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, is allegedly linked with the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
Jarange-Patil has demanded capital punishment for the assailants involved in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh.
BJP legislator Suresh Dhas, who has been aggressively demanding stern action against the culprits involved in the killing of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, on Wednesday went to Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district and urged Jarange-Patil to reconsider his decision.
On Tuesday, Santosh Deshmukh's family met him and on their request he agreed to have water. However, he has refused to take intravenous fluids despite repeated requests by the Health officials.
Unlike his previous protests when the state ministers used to rush to Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district with an appeal to call off the agitation, none of the ministers or the MahaYuti alliance representatives so far have gone there.
However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' close confidant and BJP legislator Prasad Lad has termed Jarange-Patil's seventh indefinite hunger strike in the last 16 months as "nautanki" and asked him on whose behest he had launched it.
Lad also questioned whether the indefinite hunger strike was aimed at creating instability in the state.
He dared Jarnge-Patil to come forward for a joint debate and claimed Fadnavis has done everything possible to give justice to the Maratha community. He further reminded that the reservation to the Maratha community was provided when Fadnavis was the chief minister during 2014-2019.
OBC leader Navnath Waghmare claimed that the fresh indefinite hunger strike was Jarange-Patil's desperate attempt to maintain his existence especially in the Maratha community.
He further alleged that Jarange-Patil is feeling insecure after the emergence of BJP legislator Suresh Dhas as the new leader of the Maratha community.
The 'Jarange-Patil Factor' played a major role in the Maha Vikas Aghadi's performance in the Lok Sabha elections when it won 31 seats against 17 by the BJP led MahaYuti. However, BJP's move to consolidate OBC community worked in its favour to effectively checkmate the Jarange-Patil factor in the state assembly election.
The BJP and allies Shiv Sena and NCP in the MahaYuti scored a landslide victory while the Maha Vikas Aghadi faced a humiliating defeat. The confident MahaYuti is currently not in a mood to take note of Jarange-Patil's fresh protest especially because of changed political equations.
The state government is biding time as it has already indicated that it won't succumb to Jarange-Patil's pressure tactics by giving a commitment that will meet with a legal hurdle. Interestingly, the opposition parties, which have yet to recover from the drubbing in the assembly election, has also not been active in taking up Jarange-Patil's demand.
There are no major elections round the corner as the local and civic body elections may not be possible soon as the Supreme Court has convened next hearing in the last week of February. Jarange-Patil is, therefore, left with limited options.
(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
