Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange ended his hunger strike on Tuesday after the Maharashtra government agreed to five of his seven demands. Jarange, who had been on a hunger strike since August 29 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, broke his fast after meeting with government ministers, including Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. The government has issued a GR (Government Resolution) addressing most of his demands, while two remain under review. Jarange and his supporters have been asked to vacate Azad Maidan by Wednesday morning, following a High Court order to clear the area by 3 PM on Tuesday.
Maha Govt Delegation Meets Jarange
Following the High Court’s order, a Maharashtra government delegation also went to Azad Maidan to meet Jarange. Four ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Shivendra Raje Bhosale, Jay Kumar Gore, and Manikrao Kokate met Jarange at the Maidan. The ministers provided Jarange with all the details of the discussions held by the committee regarding reservation. After this, Jarange announced that he had won.
5 Demands of Manoj Jarange Accepted
- The Hyderabad institution’s gazette will be implemented immediately; the GR will be issued today.
- The Satara institution’s gazette will be implemented within a month.
- All cases registered against Maratha activists to date will be withdrawn; the government will get the cases dismissed in court.
- Families of those who died for Maratha reservation will receive financial benefits, and one family member will be given a government job.
- Records showing 5.8 million Maratha-Kunbi have been obtained; these records will be kept in the Gram Panchayat.
2 Demands Pending
- The government will study the issue to prove that Kunbi and Maratha are the same and will decide within two months.
- For implementing ‘Sage Soyre’, eight lakh objections were received; these will be studied before a decision is made.
Statements by Jarange and Ministers
Jarange stated that Chief Minister Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and Eknath Shinde should come to end his hunger strike. Speaking to his supporters in the presence of the ministers, Jarange said, “We have won. If the Maharashtra government issues an official order regarding Maratha reservation, I will leave Mumbai by 9 PM tonight. Jarange gave the Maharashtra government a two-month ultimatum to issue a GR recognising a portion of the Maratha community as Kunbi. He added that the government had promised to withdraw cases against protesters in the Maratha reservation movement.
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said that the Hyderabad Gazette will be implemented for Maratha reservation and should be legally recognised. Shivendra Singh Raje stated that 15 days are required to implement the Satara Gazette; Jarange gave a month for this. Cabinet Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale assured Jarange that the Satara Gazette will be implemented, where Marathas are addressed as Kunbi. Jarange also demanded that the government implement the Hyderabad Gazette immediately through the subcommittee. He urged the government to pass this order in the cabinet meeting.
Court Orders and Public Appeal
Following the Bombay High Court’s order, Azad Maidan must be vacated today. Violation of the court order will not be tolerated. Both the government and protesters must follow the court’s instructions. On Monday, the Bombay High Court had asked Jarange’s supporters to clear the streets and restore normalcy. Jarange warned that any attempt to arrest him or remove him from Mumbai could have dangerous consequences, but he urged his supporters not to create public inconvenience. He instructed them not to engage in protests or chaos that could disturb the general public.
