People celebrated at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Tuesday. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange announced victory for the agitation. This decision was made after the Maharashtra government’s cabinet sub-committee on Maratha quota accepted most of his demands. The sub-committee is headed by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
Jarange made the announcement on the fifth day of his hunger strike. He said 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.
Jarange Announced Victory
The Kunbi status will allow members of the Maratha community to seek benefits under the OBC quota. This has been Jarange’s main demand.
We will leave Mumbai by 9 pm (Tuesday). This will happen 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. They assured that Marathas with Kunbi records will receive caste certificates after proper inquiry.
Jarange told his supporters that the committee has agreed to issue a GR immediately. 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 promised financial aid to the families of those who died during the protests. Jobs will be given according to educational qualifications within a week.
According to Jarange, the committee informed him of the financial disbursement. They said Rs 15 crore has already been given to the families of deceased protesters. The remaining compensation will be provided within a week.
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.
GR issued by the Government
The Maharashtra government issued a resolution on the Hyderabad Gazetteer. They announced the setting up of committees to enable Marathas to obtain Kunbi caste certificates. This is possible if they can provide documentary proof showing they were recorded as Kunbis in the past.
The GR said, “There will be a dedicated scrutiny process. It will verify documents using historical references in the Hyderabad gazetteer. This process will establish the 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 recognition for Marathas as Kunbis. Kunbis are an agrarian caste listed in the OBC category in Maharashtra. Such classification would make Marathas eligible for reservation in government jobs and education.
Court Criticized Role of State Government
Earlier on Tuesday, the Bombay high court ordered Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 pm. Jarange initially 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. It warned that strict action would be taken to uphold the law. Following this, the cabinet sub-committee met Jarange at the protest site in the afternoon.
This development occurred four days after Jarange and thousands of supporters reached Azad Maidan. They were 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.”
After the high court’s directive to vacate the ground, his lawyer Satish Maneshinde apologised. He apologised to the court on behalf of Jarange and his team. This was 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. Officials reported that GRP and RPF personnel were deployed at CSMT in south Mumbai. Additionally, 60 members of the Riot Control Force were also deployed there.
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