'Not for Votes': As Jarange Ends Maratha Protests, Show of Unity with Shinde

After months of having the Eknath Shinde government on the edge with hunger strikes, protests, and his latest week-long foot march to Mumbai, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday, 27 January, announced that the struggle for reservation for the community has concluded after the government accepted all their demands.

Thousands of protesters, along with Jarange, stayed put for the past two days in Navi Mumbai's Vashi during their ongoing march to Mumbai's Azad Maidan to launch an indefinite hunger strike.

Among several demands placed before the government after fresh talks with the law panel on Friday was issuing of an ordinance stating that the family members of all those who will receive Kunbi caste certificates under the state government's ongoing exercise will also be entitled to nominations based on those certificates.

Issuing Kunbi certificates will ensure reservation to the Maratha community under the OBC category.

Jarange on Friday had given the state government a deadline of 11:00 am on Saturday to issue the ordinance, failing which he would have marched forward to Mumbai along with his supporters.

Jarange's announcement came in the wee hours of Saturday after a government delegation comprising of social justice department secretary Sumant Bhange, Aurangabad divisional commissioner Madhukar Arangal, and chief minister's personal secretary Amol Shinde met him to submit the ordinance.

While Jarange announced that he will not march to Mumbai and have celebrations after returning to Jalna instead, he is expected to end his fast in the presence of chief minister Eknath Shinde today.

Shinde and Jarange's Show of Unity

Addressing a rally alongside CM Shinde in Vashi, Jarange said: "We have been struggling for the past several months. My entire generation has struggled for this reservation."

"More than 300 people died by suicide. We will not allow any rift between the OBCs and Marathas, but they are trying to create a rift between us. We will not allow that to happen," Jarange added.

CM Shinde addressed the gathering to call it a historic day and thanked the protesters.

"Not only the country, but the world's attention was drawn to the agitation of the Maratha community. We have maintained our unity. I thank you for carrying out this agitation with great restraint, discipline, and making the movement of lakhs a success without making a fuss anywhere. Manoj Jarange Patal also showed discipline in every meeting", the Chief Minister thanked the audience," Shinde said.

“I am a farmer's son. I also understand ​​the suffering and pain of the poor Maratha community. That is why I publicly took oath in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Today, am working to fulfill that oath. Keeping my word is my modus operandi. Today is also the birth anniversary of our Guru Anand Dighe. Balasaheb's birth anniversary was celebrated on 23 January. The blessings of both of them and the best wishes of the Maratha community are also with us", Shinde added.

He further said that the decision was taken for the "betterment of the community and not for their votes."

'The Agitation is Now Over': Jarange

Addressing the supporters late last night, Jarange said: "Over 54 lakh records of the Maratha community's members (as Kunbis) have been found so far. Those caste certificates should be issued promptly. We had also demanded that those certificates should be given to their families immediately. This process has started."

He said that the government will provide the data in this regard in a few days.

"An ordinance has been passed to issue certificates to the family members of those whose records have been found. The basic demands of the Maratha community have been met. The talks took place for three hours," Patil said, adding that after a three-hour long meeting with the government's panel in the night, he also got the ordinance vetted by a senior advocate of the Bombay High Court.

"The home minister (Maharashtra) has also given in writing that the cases registered against protesters in Antarvali Saravati will also be withdrawn," Jarange said.

The movement by Jarange began and flared in Jalna's Antarvali Saravati last year after his supporters had clashed with the police.

"This is a big achievement for our community. So, our movement is now over. We did not spare any party while working unitedly as a community. Now that our fight is over, so is our opposition as a community," Jarange Patil announced.

What Were Jarange's Demands?

Some of the new demands placed by Jarange on Friday included:

• Provide data of all 37 lakh people who have been nominated, so far, for caste certificates, as per the state government's ongoing exercise

• The tenure of the Shinde Committee undertaking the exercise should be extended by a year.

• Bring in an ordinance by Friday night, assuring that family members of all the nominees will get their nominations too.

• Registration for the nominations should be free.

• Entire education for all Marathas should be free till the reservation issue is resolved.

• No government posts should be filled till Marathas get reservation. If the government is to fill any vacancies before that, the posts for Marathas should be kept aside

• All cases against protesters, including those filed in Jalna's Antarvali Sarati last year, should be withdrawn and the same should be given in writing.