Maratha Quota Demand: Manoj Jarange Declares Victory After Government Concession

Mumbai witnessed jubilant celebrations as Maratha quota activist, Manoj Jarange, declared victory on Tuesday. The Maharashtra government's cabinet sub-committee yielded to the activists' primary demands, granting Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas and implementing the Hyderabad Gazette. The resolution came following Jarange's steadfast five-day hunger strike at Azad Maidan, where talks were held with state committee members, including minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

Jarange stated that his group would vacate Mumbai by the evening if the Maharashtra government issued necessary Government Resolutions (GRs) supporting the Maratha quota. He revealed that the sub-committee accepted the Marathas' Hyderabad Gazette implementation and committed to issue an official GR. A month-long timeline was established for the Satara Gazette enactment, with all legal cases against prior Maratha protestors slated for withdrawal by the end of September.

In addition to caste certificate adjustments, Jarange highlighted assurances on financial aid and governmental employment opportunities for protest victims' families, following their educational profiles. Minister Vikhe Patil mentioned the ongoing scrutiny of 8 lakh objections to the 'sage soyare' notification, requiring two months to explore a legal strategy equating Kunbis and Marathas as one community. Jarange's August 29th hunger strike had demanded a 10% quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes categorization.

(With inputs from agencies.)