New Delhi: Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil, whose hunger strike since August 29 has led to protests across Maharashtra echoing the demand for reservation for the community, has given the government an ultimatum of four days.Jarange Patil has told politicians who visited the village of Antarvali in Jalna that the government has four days to notify reservations for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes category.On September 2, police had attempted to forcibly admit Patil to a hospital, leading to a clash between cops and his supporters.“The incidents of September 1 had politicians of all hues scrambling to placate him and declare their support for the Maratha reservation issue,” Hindustan Times noted in its report.Various state politicians across party lines, including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray, former chief minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan, Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Raosaheb Danve and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray have met him in the last two days.Economic Times has reported that the latest ultimatum came after Maharashtra BJP minister Girish Mahajan, Shiv Sena minister Sandeepan Bhumre, and Shiv Sena leader Arjun Khotkar met Jarange Patil and sought a month’s time to give reservation to the community.Jarange Patil, though, refused to end his fast or give a month’s time to the government. He said the community has waited long enough.“I was supposed to stop drinking water from today. However, on the government’s request, I’m giving them four more days. I will stop drinking water as well as stop taking saline after four days,” Jarange Patil was quoted as having said.Reports say that any move to grant Marathas OBC status is sure to invite anger from the existing OBC communities in the state.
