Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday declared victory in the Maratha quota agitation after the Maharashtra government’s cabinet sub-committee accepted most of his demands, including the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. The announcement, made on the fifth day of his indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, sparked jubilation among his supporters.
“We have won,” Jarange told the protesters after his meeting with the sub-committee led by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, accompanied by Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Uday Samant, and Manikrao Kokate. The panel discussed with Jarange the draft finalised by the government.
Jarange said his protest would be called off and he would leave Mumbai if the state issued government resolutions (GRs) on the agreed demands by Tuesday night. The committee assured that the Hyderabad Gazette will be implemented immediately, and caste certificates will be given to Marathas with Kunbi records after due inquiry. Implementation of the Satara Gazette, he added, will follow within a month.
The committee also promised withdrawal of cases filed against Maratha protesters by the end of September. Families of those who lost their lives during the agitation will receive government jobs and financial aid within a week, based on educational qualifications. According to Vikhe Patil, Rs 15 crore has already been disbursed to such families, with the remaining compensation to be cleared soon.
On the contentious issue of the ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) notification, Vikhe Patil revealed that nearly eight lakh objections have been received and are under scrutiny. He further said the government is exploring legal avenues to issue a GR equating Kunbis and Marathas as one community, a process that could take two months.
Jarange, who began his hunger strike on August 29 demanding 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education under the OBC category, called the acceptance of these key demands a “people’s victory.” His declaration of success set off loud celebrations among protesters gathered at Azad Maidan.
