Mumbai, 2 Sep

Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday evening ended his five-day-old fast after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to OBCs.

Jarange accepted a glass of fruit juice offered by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, and other members of the panel at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan, the site of his agitation since 29 August, marking the end of his fast.

The 43-year-old activist was in tears after breaking the fast as his supporters cheered at the protest site, while Mumbaikars, who faced hardship during the agitation, heaved a big sigh of relief. He later left Azad Maidan in an ambulance for medical check-up.

Before ending his hunger strike, Jarange declared victory after a delegation of senior minister, including Vikhe Patil, met him at the protest site and conveyed acceptance of his demands, including giving Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas.

The announcement of victory triggered wild celebrations among his supporters.

Jarange had earlier demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies -- Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar -- come to Azad Maidan for him to break his fast.

"This would ensure there was no bitterness among Marathas,'' he reasoned.

Vikhe Patil told the activist said all three are out of Mumbai and appealed to him to break his fast.

"We have got the implementation of Hyderabad gazetter (granting Kunbi status to Marathas)... what else do we want. If they (CM and his deputies) don't want to come (to Azad Maidan), do you want me to die," Jarange asked.

The activist warned against the BJP-led government reneging on its promises.

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis hailed Jarange's move to call off his fast and asserted his government has found a solution in the interest of the Maratha community. The CM said the government told protesters caste certificate can be given to individuals and not the community.

"My objective was to give justice to the Maratha community. My government was always focused on the welfare of Marathas and I will continue to work for all communities in Maharashtra, be it Marathas or OBCs," Fadnavis said.

Hours earlier, the government issued a resolution on the Hyderabad gazetteer and announced the formation of village-level committees to facilitate the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas who are able to produce documentary evidence recognising them as Kunbis in the past.

The government resolution (GR) was issued by the social justice and special assistance department.

The Hyderabad gazetteer or gazette refers to an order issued in 1918 by the then-Nizam government of Hyderabad. The gazetteer classifies certain communities, including some Maratha community groups, in the erstwhile Hyderabad State as Kunbis, an OBC community in Maharashtra.

The General Administration Department (GAD) later issued a separate GR accepting five key decisions taken in connection with demands raised by the Maratha community.

According to a GAD order, the first decision was to provide financial assistance and employment opportunities to families of persons who lost their lives during the Maratha quota agitation.

The second decision directed that all pending police cases against Maratha protesters should be withdrawn by September 2025. The third decision was regarding waiving examination fees for students belonging to the Maratha community in the current academic year.

The fourth decision stated that applications for caste verification under the Justice Sandeep Shinde Committee should be disposed of within ten days of filing.

As per the fifth decision, the committee headed by Justice Shinde would continue to scrutinise pending cases and begin fresh verification work. PTI MR ND DC SP KK PR VT ARU GK N