Maratha Reservation Activist Ends Hunger Strike as Maharashtra Government Accepts Demands

Maratha reservation activist, Manoj Jarange Patil, has announced the end of his hunger strike after the Maharashtra government accepted their demands. The victory was celebrated by a large gathering of Maratha supporters at Shivaji Chowk Vashi in Navi Mumbai.

Jarange will break his fast today in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, where he will pay floral tribute to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Expressing his appreciation for the Chief Minister’s actions, Jarange declared that the protest was now over since their request had been accepted. He applauded the government’s commitment to issue Kunbi certificates to 54 lakh individuals identified as Kunabi, ensuring that these certificates would be provided in the near future.

Prior to the acceptance of their demands, Jarange had warned the state government that protestors would march towards Mumbai if their demands were not met. He also called for the withdrawal of all cases registered by the police regarding the demand for Maratha reservations in the state.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha expressed that the passed ordinance had provided a solution to all the problems, hence urging the protestors to put an end to their demonstrations.

The Maratha reservation issue gained attention after the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs in May 2021. The court cited the lack of valid grounds to breach the 50% reservation rule while granting Maratha reservation.