India, May 31 -- Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil sat in a field under the scorching sun on Saturday, launching his indefinite hunger strike to push the state government to meet his demands on reservations for the Maratha community. The activist is protesting in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district.

Within hours, state water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil arrived in the village to urge Jarange-Patil to call off his protest. The minister also sought more time for the government to implement key demands.

On Saturday, Vikhe-Patil, who also heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservations, gave Jarange-Patil a draft of the action the government has initiated on his charter of demands. But it wasn't enough...