OBC activists ‘suspend’ hunger strike as Maharashtra government assures in writing it will protect their quota

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR/PUNE: OBC activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare suspended their indefinite hunger strike on its tenth day on Saturday following a written assurance from state govt on the protection of reservations for the community.
On Saturday, a second state govt delegation, led by food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal, met the agitators at Wadigodri village with the govt's written assurance, stating that none of the backward community reservations would be diluted or affected.Suspending his strike, Hake called this a "30-40% win".
Bhujbal, however, warned his own govt that the fight to safeguard the OBC rights has only been temporarily halted, and it would continue till the community gets justice.
CM Eknath Shinde, who was in Nashik, also thanked Hake for withdrawing his strike. He said govt was committed to amicably resolving the OBC-Maratha quota issue. "We will soon convene an all-party meeting soon to discuss and resolve the issue in the interest of all the people of the state," Shinde said.