Jarange to launch fast from January 25

Pune: Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday announced that he would launch an indefinite fast on January 25, 2025, to press for the Maratha community’s demands, including res-ervation in jobs and education under the OBC category.

Addressing the media at Antarwali Sarthi village in Jalna, Jarange urged members of the Maratha community to gather in large numbers at the protest site.

“No one should stay at home. Come to Antarwali Sarthi, and let us show our collec-tive strength,” he said.

The 42-year-old activist has been demanding the implementation of a draft notifica-tion that recognises Kunbis as “sage soyare’ (those related by birth or marriage) of Marathas and granting reservation in jobs and education to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

The agrarian Kunbi community already gets quota benefits under the OBC category.

Accusing the government of failing to fulfil its promises, Jarange said, “The govern-ment has cheated us. We will not spare them if they don’t meet our demands during the ongoing winter session.”

The activist, who has launched six hunger strikes in the last one year, stressed that the fast would be voluntary and any member of the Maratha community can partici-pate.