Beed, Sept. 17 -- Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday called off his 20-day-old fast, and warned the Maharashtra government that he would take the protest to Mumbai if his demands over Maratha reservation were not considered in three months.
Jarange made the announcement after talks with a government delegation which included ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Dada Bhuse, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Suresh Dhas and senior officials, at Patoda in Beed district.
The development came days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government won't tolerate any intimidating tactics and questioned the timing of the agitation during the ongoing Ganesh festival.
Fadnavis on Thursday welcomed Jarange's decision to end his fast, saying the government has already accepted 12 of his 13 demands and will fulfil each of them.
During their meeting with Jarange in Patoda in Beed district, where the activist had halted on the way to Mumbai, the delegation members informed him about the steps initiated by the state government for the Maratha quota.
Vikhe Patil suggested that Jarange should depute three representatives to monitor the progress of official work for considering his demands.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.