AURANGABAD: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who was on a hunger strike demanding reservation for his community, on Thursday ended his hunger strike on the 17th day of the protest after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a meeting with him.

CM Shinde, accompanied by some of his ministerial colleagues, visited Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where the protest was on, and met Jarange in the morning.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister announced that his government is committed to providing reservation to the Maratha community.

"Manoj Jarange's fight is not for any personal demand and that is why it received so much support from the community. In the past, the government provided reservation, but it could not survive in the Supreme Court," Shinde said.

Jarange later ended his fast by drinking a glass of juice offered by CM Shinde. His hunger strike was on since 29 August.