Activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday said he would launch a fast unto death from October 25 if the Maharashtra government fails to grant quota to the Maratha community by Tuesday.

Addressing a media conference at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange said the Maratha community would not let political leaders, including MPs and MLAs, enter villages across the state until the reservation demand is met.

Giving the analogy of the conflict between India and China, he said the upcoming protest (for quota) was akin to a war being fought “peacefully”. He criticised the government over a newspaper ad listing the steps taken for the welfare of Marathas.

Jarange had observed a hunger strike in the village in September demanding that Marathas be granted reservation in government jobs and education under the OBC category. He had withdrawn the protest, giving an ultimatum of 40 days till October 24 to the government for the grant of quota.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said his government was committed to giving reservations in jobs and education to Marathas and urged youths not to take extreme steps like suicide.

PTI