2 min readPuneFeb 27, 2024 05:27 AM IST
First published on: Feb 26, 2024 at 04:25 PM IST
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil Monday withdrew his indefinite hunger strike which he had started 17 days ago.
The move came a day after Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde cautioned Jarange Patil to not “cross his limits” after the latter alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was conspiring to “eliminate” him.
On Monday, Jarange targeted Fadnavis again alleging that he was bent upon repeating the Antarwali-Saraati type episode where the police had lathi-charged Maratha protestors.
“I am withdrawing my indefinite hunger strike after 17 days. This hunger strike is being converted into relay hunger strike. Every day, four youths will sit on relay hunger strike. Similar, relay hunger strike should be organised by Maratha community all over the state,” Jarange Patil said while calling off his hunger strike.
“A crowd of over 25,000 people including 5,000 women had gathered at Antarwali-Saraati last night… Anything could have happened. The crowd would have run helter-skelter. Fadnavis wanted to create second Antarwali-Saraati. I saved the situation. If there was lathi-charge, the Marathas would have then run riot. I saved Maharashtra… It was Fadnavis who was behind the first lathi-charge in Antarwali-Saraati… Even now he is conspiring to repeat it. He is refusing to withdraw cases against Maratha protestors. I urge the chief minister and both the deputy chief ministers not to provoke the Maratha community,” he added.
After the September 1 lathi-charge in Antarwali-Saraati, Jarange Patil has been repeatedly targeting Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.
The deputy chief minister, on his part, has refused to meet the activist and has not visited Antarwali-Saraati yet.
Jarange Patil said the police have imposed curfew at some places which is preventing people from coming to Antarwali-Saraati.
“I have decided to visit several villages in Maharashtra and interact with the people there. I am not going to back down till the law relating to ‘sage-soyare’’ is implemented,” the quota activist said.
Meanwhile, later in the evening, Jarange Patil was admitted to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar after his health started deteriorating. The doctors advised him rest for 4-5 days.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil. (Express file photo by Pavan Khengre) 
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