Mumbai: After hectic negotiations on the issue of Maratha reservation and issuance of a fresh notification, chief campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil withdrew his agitation on Saturday morning. He will break his fast today in the presence of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
A group of top Maharashtra government officials and emisseries of Eknath Shinde and later two ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha met Jarange-Patil and convinced him to withdraw the agitation.
Jarange-Patil has started off from his village Antarwali Sarathi and reached the satellite township of Navi Mumbai on Republic Day where the politically-dominant Maratha community staged a massive show of strength.
A meeting with Shinde is also being planned. Shinde is expected to reach Vashi around 8-8:30 am in the morning on Saturday.
The fresh demands that Jarange-Patil made was to halt the government recruitment process till the Supreme Court decides on the curative petition or keep post vacant for Marathas for the time being.
He also asked for free education for Maratha boys on the lines of KG-to-PG free education for girl children.
Jarange-Patil has also asked for the list of people to whom Kunbi Maratha and Marathi Kunbi caste certificates have been issued so far.
The Maratha community has also been asking for withdrawal of cases against them which were registered during the agitation.
"We have handed the necessary papers that Jarange-Patil asked for," Kesarkar said.
Published 26 January 2024, 21:45 IST