Key Points:
- Five-day hunger strike ended by Manoj Jarange Patil at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on September 2, 2025
- Government accepts 6 of 8 demands including implementation of Hyderabad Gazette for Kunbi certificates
- Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil leads breakthrough as Cabinet Sub-Committee chief offers juice to end fast
- All cases against Maratha protesters to be withdrawn from 2023-2024 agitations
- Financial compensation and jobs promised to families of protesters who lost lives during movement
- Legal framework expected within 2 months to formally equate Marathas with Kunbis for OBC benefits
Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events that marked the end of one of Maharashtra’s most significant caste agitations, Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil broke his five-day hunger strike on Tuesday evening by accepting juice from Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the state’s Cabinet Sub-Committee on Maratha reservation.
Emotional Victory at Azad Maidan
The 43-year-old activist was visibly emotional and broke into tears as he sipped the fruit juice handed to him by Minister Vikhe Patil at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, where thousands of his supporters had been camping since August 29. The moment was met with thunderous cheers from supporters who had maintained a vigil throughout his fast.
“Marathyancha vijay zala, Maratha aaj sukhi zala (Marathas have emerged victorious today and we are happy). Today is our Diwali, as we have got what we wanted,” Jarange declared to his ecstatic supporters.
Government Accepts Historic Demands
The breakthrough came after intense negotiations with a high-level government delegation that accepted six of Jarange’s eight key demands. The major concessions include:
Implementation of Historical Gazettes
- Immediate implementation of Hyderabad Gazette (1909) to facilitate Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas
- Satara Gazette (1884) implementation within one month due to legal complexities
- These historical documents establish that Marathas and Kunbis are the same community, enabling access to OBC reservation benefits
Legal and Administrative Relief
- Complete withdrawal of all cases filed against Maratha protesters during 2023-2024 agitations
- Formation of village-level committees to scrutinize applications for Kunbi certificates
- Immediate clearance process by caste verification committees using 58 lakh Kunbi records already identified
Compensation and Employment
- Financial compensation to families of Marathas who lost their lives during protests
- Government jobs on compassionate grounds for eligible family members in state transport and MIDC
The Hyderabad Gazette: Key to Victory
The Hyderabad Gazette of 1918, issued during the Nizam’s rule, serves as crucial historical evidence that Marathas in the Marathwada region were officially recorded as Kunbis – a peasant community that enjoys OBC reservation benefits in Maharashtra.
Jarange called this document “undeniable proof of Maratha-Kunbi identity” and positioned the reservation demand not as a political move, but as restoration of historical identity. Since Marathwada was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, these records provide legal foundation for the community’s OBC claims.
Swift Government Response Under Court Pressure
The resolution came just hours before a 9 PM deadline set by Jarange himself and amid mounting pressure from the Bombay High Court, which had ordered protesters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 PM. The court had criticized the disruption of normal life in Mumbai due to the massive gathering.
Minister Vikhe Patil thanked the activist for “accepting the government’s proposal and breaking his fast,” emphasizing the collaborative approach that led to the breakthrough.
Legal Framework Development
The government has committed to developing a comprehensive legal pathway within two months to formally equate Marathas with Kunbis, ensuring a sustainable resolution within constitutional boundaries. This framework will facilitate the seamless issuance of OBC certificates to eligible Marathas across Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions.
Impact on Maharashtra Politics
This resolution represents a major political victory for the Maharashtra government ahead of crucial elections, as the Maratha community forms a significant vote bank. The acceptance of historical gazettes as legal proof also sets a precedent for other communities seeking similar recognition based on colonial-era records.
Jarange’s supporters celebrated across Mumbai’s prime locations, including the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, marking what they called a “historical win” for the community. The activist was immediately taken to a hospital for medical checkup after ending his fast, while his supporters began preparations to leave Mumbai as promised.
This breakthrough ends months of uncertainty and establishes a new chapter in Maharashtra’s caste politics, potentially providing a template for resolving similar reservation demands across India.
