Maratha Quota Stir: ‘Will quit drinking water from this evening if…’, Activist Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday reiterated that he will stop drinking water from this evening if his demand for reservation to the Maratha community is not fulfilled by the Maharashtra government, according to a report published by the news agency PTI. 

"Leaders of all parties who are in Mumbai should ask the state government to call a special session of the state assembly and declare Maratha reservation. If this is not done, I will quit drinking water from Wednesday evening. The agitation will not stop and will continue peacefully," Jarange said.

He further said, "The leaders should not speak now on the issue. They speak sweetly to us but register offenses against agitators. That is why the BJP is on the decline," he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation which took a violent turn in some parts of the state.

State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo, Sharad Pawar, former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chandrakantdada Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Valse Patil, Girish Mahajan, Dadaji Bhuse are present at the meeting at Sahyadri Guest House.

The Chief Minister's Office earlier said that Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support, PTI reported. 

Jarange has been sitting on an indefinite fast for over a week. On Tuesday the Maratha reservation activist had decided to start drinking water after CM Eknath Shinde assured him of a solution.

Maharashtra's Beed administration on Wednesday morning lifted a curfew imposed in parts of the district after violence during the Maratha quota agitation on Monday, officials said. 

However, the internet services will still remain shut in Beed," Collector Deepa Mudhol Munde told reporters.

After the violence was reported on Monday, a curfew was enforced in a periphery of 5 kilometers from the collector office, head offices of talukas along with all national highways passing through the district.

Officials further added that police registered over 30 offenses while 99 arrests have been made so far in connection with the violence.

(With inputs from agencies)