Maratha activist Manoj Jarange declares big win, ends 5 days hunger strike

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange agreed to call off his indefinite hunger strike on the fifth day of his fast after a breakthrough was reached with the Maharashtra government on two key demands.

Calling it a victory for the agitators, who have been protesting at Mumbai's Azad Maidan for the past four days, Jarange said their primary demand of according Kunbi status - an OBC category - to the Maratha community from the Marathwada region had been agreed to.

He broke his fast by taking a sip of juice from Vikhe-Patil, in the presence of the cabinet sub-committee members, as his supporters cheered at Azad Maidan. He was taken to a hospital for a checkup immediately.

A GR (government resolution) for the implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette in which Kunbi caste certificates would be distributed after verification was issued later in the day.

The Marathwada region was previously part of the Hyderabad State.



The Hyderabad Gazette, issued by the erstwhile Nizam-era government, recognised many from the Maratha community as Kunbis and granted them reservations in education and jobs.

The Maratha community, constituting over 30% of Maharashtra's population, wields considerable influence in the state.

Moreover, Jarange said the government had promised to withdraw cases against the protesters by the end of September.

It was also decided that compensation and government jobs would be given to the kin of those who lost their lives during the protests in a week.

"We have won," Jarange told his supporters after meeting with the Cabinet sub-committee headed by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

The committee also told Jarange that legal options were being explored for issuing a GR stating that Kunbis and Marathas were the same community. Jarange was informed that the process might take two months.