Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil declared “We have won” on Day 5 of his hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, saying the Maharashtra government had agreed to core demands, including withdrawing cases against protesters and compensating families of those who died during the agitation, while insisting he would vacate the venue by 9 pm if formal Government Resolutions (GRs) were issued in time. Surrounded by ministers, Jarange told supporters that written orders were expected on the community’s reservations push, but warned he and his followers would not leave the city without the promised GRs in hand. Celebrations erupted at the protest site following his remarks, with supporters waving flags and raising slogans to mark what many called a landmark moment in the decades-long fight for quota benefits.
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Government assurances and deadline
Jarange said the administration had assured action on demands such as case withdrawals and compensation, adding that protesters would depart by Tuesday night if GRs were released, even as he stressed the struggle would continue until formal guarantees were public. Earlier, he had set a two-month window for a GR recognizing Marathas and Kunbis as the same community to enable reservation under the OBC category, and pressed for rapid follow-through on paperwork based on historical records.
Court directives and crowd control
The Bombay High Court criticized the disruption caused in Mumbai and directed protesters to vacate all occupied areas, with a specific order to clear Azad Maidan by 3 pm to restore normalcy, calling the gathering “completely illegal” without due permissions, and pulling up the state for lapses in management. Jarange’s counsel offered an apology in court, while the activist urged supporters to comply with directives and minimize inconvenience, saying vehicles had been moved and that the agitation would remain peaceful, even as he vowed not to leave until demands were met.
Also read: Bombay High Court Orders Maratha Quota Protesters to Clear Mumbai Streets by Noon
Background and key demands
The current phase of the agitation centers on the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes, which Jarange says establish that Marathas in Marathwada are Kunbis, qualifying them for OBC reservation, and he has pushed for GRs to that effect along with case withdrawals and aid to affected families. A state sub-committee has flagged legal hurdles to blanket Kunbi status, noting any move must withstand judicial scrutiny, with the Advocate General and a retired High Court judge reviewing whether historical gazettes can lawfully support such a change.
What’s next
With the 9 pm deadline set by Jarange, attention remains on whether the government will publish the promised GRs, potentially paving the way for the protest to wind down at Azad Maidan the same evening, as supporters prepared to depart if orders are issued. The High Court has scheduled related matters for further hearing, while the state continues consultations on a framework that could align community demands with constitutional and legal constraints.