Maratha quota agitation: Manoj Jarange-Patil ends hunger strike as govt accepts most of his demands

Mumbai: The five-day-old crisis arising out of the Maratha reservation demand was over with Manoj Jarange-Patil  breaking the fast after the government agreed to to most of his demands and issued multiple GRs including implementation of the Hyderabad Gazetteer which states Marathas are Kunbis, withdrawal of cases against the agitators and help to the families of those who died during the course of two-year-long agitation. 

The Azad Maidan, which was the ground zero of the protest, is being cleared and protestors are leaving for their villages. 

The Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti dispensation, however, rejected a blanket notification declaring all Marathas as Kunbis in Maharashtra, so that those eligible  can secure reservation under the OBC category.

Kunbis, a sub-caste of the Marathas, a predominantly agrarian community, are listed as OBCs, which enjoy 27 per cent quota. 

The relevance of Hyderabad Gazette comes from the fact that the Marathwada region of present-day Maharashtra was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad State during the Nizam-era.

A delegation of the Maharashtra government headed by Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who is head of the Cabinet sub-committee on Maratha community issues, accompanied by ministers Uday Samant, Manikrao Kokate and Shivendra Raje Bhosle, a descendent of iconic Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj met Jarange-Patil at his camp in Azad Maidan in presence  of thousands of protesters and broke the deadlock. 

“We have been able to explain  to Jarange-Patil that blanket reservation across Maharashtra  cannot be given to a group, as per law,  but to a person, who has to claim. He understood this…accordingly the GR on Hyderabad gazetteer was issued…we broke the deadlock…we also avoided disturbing the OBC quota,” Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur. 

Fadnavis thanked the Cabinet sub-committee and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar for their cooperation in arriving at a decision.

As soon as Jarange-Patil declared victory, slogans like - ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai’, ‘Jai Shivray, Jai Shivray’, ‘Jai Jijau, Jai Jijau’, ’ek Maratha, lakh Maratha’, ‘Patil, Patil, Patil’, ‘Manoj Dada tum aage bado, hum tumhare saath hai’  - rend the air. 

Vikhe-Patil offered juice to the Jarange-Patil after which he broke the fast followed by Ganesh aarti and rendition of the national anthem. 

Tears rolled down his eyes as he broke the fast. “We have won,” he said with a voice choking with emotion. “Today is Diwali for us as we have got what we wanted,” he added. 

Soon after this, jubilations broke out with protestors dancing and throwing gulal in the air, however, Jarange-Patil was escorted out of the Azad Maidan in an ambulance and taken to a hospital. 

“I have maintained my stand from the very first day that we will not let such a dispute happen between Marathas and OBCs anywhere. The decision we will take will not be a decision to take from one and give it to the other. We will make an equal decision for both,” the CM said.

“As far as Marathwada is concerned, there is lack of records…the Hyderabad Gazetteer will be useful as proof, because if the name of their grandfather or great-grandfather is there in the Hyderabad Gazetteer in this Kunbi caste, then they will get its benefit, and according to the rules, they will get its certificate,” he added.

As far as Satara Sansthan Gazette is concerned, the government has asked for one month’s time to study, after which the needful would be done.

Jarange-Patil had demanded that Fadnavis and his two deputies come to Azad Maidan for him to break his fast. "This would ensure there was no bitterness among Marathas,” he said.

However, Vikhe-Patil said the activist said all three are out of Mumbai and appealed to him to break his fast, which he accepted after consulting his supporters. 

Jarange-Patil then added: “If they don't want to come, do you want me to die…we have got what we asked for,” Jarange said and thanked the government and Cabinet sub-committee.