NEW DELHI: Scenes of celebration were seen at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Tuesday after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange announced victory for the agitation. This came after the Maharashtra government’s cabinet sub-committee on Maratha quota, headed by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, accepted most of his demands.
Jarange made the announcement on the fifth day of his hunger strike, saying that the government had agreed to give Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. His supporters cheered the development, which also brought relief to Mumbai residents.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also hailed activist Manoj Jarange's move to call off his 5-day fast over the Maratha quota demand, saying the government found a solution in the interest of the Maratha community.
"My objective was to give justice to the Maratha community. My government was always focused on the welfare of Marathas and I will continue to work for all communities in Maharashtra, be it Marathas or OBCs," the CM said.
Why Jarange claimed victory
The Kunbi status will allow members of the Maratha community to seek benefits under the OBC quota, which has been Jarange’s main demand.
"We will leave Mumbai by 9 pm (Tuesday) if the Maharashtra government issues GRs (government resolutions) on the Maratha quota demands," Jarange said.
The sub-committee accepted his demand to implement the Hyderabad Gazetteer and assured that Marathas with Kunbi records will be given caste certificates after proper inquiry.
Jarange told his supporters that the committee has agreed to issue a GR immediately and that the Satara Gazetteer will be implemented within a month.
He added that the government has promised to withdraw cases against Maratha protesters by the end of September. The committee also said financial aid and jobs according to educational qualifications will be given within a week to families of those who died during the protests.
According to Jarange, the committee informed him that Rs 15 crore has already been given to the families of deceased protesters, and the remaining compensation will be provided within a week.
Jarange breaks fast
Later in the day, Jarange ended his fast after accepting the GR issued by the cabinet sub-committee. Vikhe Patil thanked him for agreeing to the proposal and breaking his fast.
Government issues GR
The Maharashtra government issued a resolution on the Hyderabad Gazetteer and announced the setting up of committees to enable Marathas to obtain Kunbi caste certificates if they can provide documentary proof showing they were recorded as Kunbis in the past.
The GR said, "In accordance with the historical references contained in the Hyderabad gazetteer, a dedicated scrutiny process shall be conducted to verify documents and establish eligibility of persons from the Maratha community for Kunbi caste certificates. The committee shall ensure that every claim is assessed in a time-bound and transparent manner."
Activist Manoj Jarange has been demanding that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste listed in the OBC category in Maharashtra. Such classification would make Marathas eligible for reservation in government jobs and education.
Court intervention and apology
Earlier on Tuesday, the Bombay high court ordered Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 pm, noting that they did not have permission to protest there. The court later allowed him to stay until Wednesday morning.
The court criticised the state government’s handling of the matter and warned it would take strict action to uphold the law. Following this, the cabinet sub-committee met Jarange at the protest site in the afternoon.
This development came four days after Jarange and thousands of supporters reached Azad Maidan demanding a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the OBC category.
Jarange had said he was open to talks but would not leave Mumbai until his demands were met. He also said, "Nobody can stop Maratha protesters from coming to Mumbai by this weekend."
However, after the high court’s directive to vacate the ground, his lawyer Satish Maneshinde apologised to the court on behalf of Jarange and his team for the behaviour of some protesters on city streets.
As the deadline neared, Mumbai Police asked protesters to remove vehicles parked near Azad Maidan. Security personnel also cleared protesters from CSMT, where they had gathered for four days.
According to officials, GRP and RPF personnel, along with 60 members of the Riot Control Force, were deployed at CSMT in south Mumbai.
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