Mumbai: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange ended his indefinite hunger strike on the fifth day of his fast after the Maharashtra government agreed to two of the protesters’ key demands.
Calling it a “victory for the agitators,” Jarange said the government had accepted their primary demand of granting Kunbi status — an OBC category — to members of the Maratha community from the Marathwada region.
Later in the day, the state issued a Government Resolution (GR) to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, under which Kunbi caste certificates will be given to eligible members of the community after verification. The Gazette, issued during the Nizam’s rule, recognized several Marathas as Kunbis and provided them with reservations in education and jobs.
The Maratha community, which makes up over 30% of Maharashtra’s population, holds significant political and social influence in the state.
Government Assurances
Jarange said the government also promised to withdraw cases filed against protesters by the end of September. In addition, compensation and government jobs will be provided within a week to the families of those who died during the agitation.
“We have won,” Jarange told his supporters after meeting a Cabinet sub-committee led by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
The panel further assured Jarange that legal options were being explored to issue a GR equating Marathas with Kunbis, though the process could take up to two months.
Protests At Azad Maidan
Jarange and nearly 4,000 supporters began their agitation at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on August 29, demanding a 10% quota for Marathas in education and government jobs under the OBC category. The protest caused severe traffic congestion in South Mumbai.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court noted that the agitation had “literally paralysed” the city and directed that the protest site be vacated by 3 pm Tuesday. Tension rose in the morning when police attempted to clear the venue, but later in the day the court allowed Jarange to continue his protest at Azad Maidan until September 3 morning.
