Jalna: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's health deteriorates as his hunger strike enters 9th day

Doctors observing Manoj Jarange's health in Maharashtra's Jalna district stated the activist has dehydration and is currently receiving IV fluids. His hunger strike for a Maratha quota entered its ninth day on Wednesday.

His blood pressure was also on the lower side in the morning, a health official told PTI. Jarange, aged around 40, has been holding the hunger protest in Jalna district's Antarwali Sarati village since August 29. On Tuesday, the activist threatened to cease consuming liquids and water for four days if a favourable quota decision is not made. Jarange has already received two requests from the government to end the fast, but he has refused. His health status is routinely being checked by a medical team.

Jarange has dehydration and his creatinine level is a little high. We have started giving him intravenous fluids, Jalna's Additional Civil Surgeon Dr Pratap Ghodke said. Though Jarange's vital parameters are fine, his blood pressure is on the lower side. His BP recorded this morning was 110 (systolic) and 70 (diastolic). The electrolytes are fine and his heart rate is also satisfactory, he added.

On September 1, after protesters  allegedly refused to allow officials to transfer Jarange to the hospital, police baton charged and fired tear gas shells into Antarwali Sarati village to disperse a rowdy mob.
In the course of the violence, more than 15 state transport buses were set on fire and 40 police officers suffered injuries.

On Tuesday, Maharashtra Minister of Tourism Girish Mahajan along with his cabinet colleagues Sandipan Bhumre and Atul Save met Jarange and urged him to call off the protest. Mahajan asked Jarange to accompany them to Mumbai and hold talks with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the issue, but he refused.