On Day 5 of his hunger strike, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange claimed “victory”, triggering celebrations at Azad Maidan.
Mumbai
On the fifth day of his indefinite fast, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange declared “victory” after the Maharashtra government’s cabinet sub-committee accepted most of his key demands, including the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas, sparking jubilation among his supporters at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan.
Jarange, who began his hunger strike on August 29 demanding a 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community under the OBC category, met the cabinet sub-committee headed by Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil along with Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Uday Samant and Manikrao Kokate. After discussions, the panel agreed to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, assuring that Marathas with Kunbi records would receive caste certificates following due inquiry.
Reading out the draft to his supporters, Jarange said the government will issue a government resolution (GR) immediately. He added that the Satara Gazette would be implemented within a month and that cases against Maratha protesters would be withdrawn by the end of September.
The government also assured financial and job assistance to the families of protesters who lost their lives during the agitation. So far, ₹15 crore has been disbursed, with the remaining compensation to follow within a week.
Meanwhile, the sub-committee noted it had received 8 lakh objections to the ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) notification, which require scrutiny. Legal options to equate Kunbis and Marathas through a GR were also being explored, a process expected to take two months.
Celebrations broke out at Azad Maidan as Jarange’s supporters hailed the day as a historic win for the Maratha movement.
