Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil announced on Tuesday that the Maharashtra government has agreed to meet the community’s demands for reservation benefits, hailing it as a significant victory for the Maratha Kranti Morcha. The announcement came on the fifth day of an indefinite hunger strike led by Jarange-Patil at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, where thousands of supporters had gathered, causing significant disruptions in the city.
Jarange-Patil, addressing a jubilant crowd, declared, “We have won,” confirming that the state government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, would issue a Government Resolution (GR) to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, granting Kunbi status to Marathas in the Marathwada region. This move will enable eligible Marathas to access reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The activist stated that the protesters would vacate Azad Maidan by 9 pm on Tuesday, provided the government issues the necessary orders promptly. "We won with your strength, today I understood the power of the poor”, he said.
The Maratha quota agitation, which began on August 29, saw an estimated 35,000–45,000 supporters converge at Azad Maidan, leading to traffic snarls and disruptions across south Mumbai. The Bombay High Court had earlier intervened, directing protesters to clear the streets by noon on Tuesday, citing violations of protest permissions and significant public inconvenience. Jarange-Patil, however, maintained that the agitation remained peaceful and compliant with legal directives.
A delegation of senior cabinet ministers, led by Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, head of the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, met Jarange-Patil on Tuesday to present the draft resolution. Six of the activist’s eight demands were accepted, including the immediate issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. The remaining demands, related to other gazettes, will require at least a month for implementation, according to government assurances.
The resolution of the protest has sparked celebrations among Maratha supporters, who hailed Jarange-Patil’s leadership. However, the agitation has also fuelled political tensions, with opposition parties and OBC leaders expressing concerns over the potential impact on existing quotas.
