Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday welcomed Manoj Jarange Patil’s decision to end his 20-day hunger strike, saying the state government would now work towards implementing the demands raised by the Maratha community.
Jarange called off his fast after a government delegation met him at Patoda in Beed district. He has given the Maharashtra government three months to act on key demands linked to Maratha reservation and warned that the agitation could return to Mumbai if the commitments are not fulfilled.
Speaking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Fadnavis said the government had already accepted 12 of Jarange’s 13 demands. According to the chief minister, the remaining demand could not be accepted because of legal restrictions.
Fadnavis Says Government Will Work on Accepted Demands
Fadnavis said the government had maintained communication with Jarange throughout the agitation and had taken steps to address the issues raised by the Maratha community.
He said a cabinet sub-committee constituted by the state government would continue working on the matter and that the administration would take the necessary steps to implement the commitments made during the discussions.
The chief minister also acknowledged the role played by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Dada Bhuse, MLC Prasad Lad, MLA Suresh Dhas and government officials in the negotiations.
Jarange Gives Government Three Months
The decision to end the hunger strike came after talks between Jarange and the government delegation at Patoda.
Jarange had been demanding steps to enable eligible members of the Maratha community to obtain Kunbi certificates and access reservation benefits under the OBC category.
Following the discussions, he agreed to suspend the hunger strike and give the government three months to act on the assurances.
However, Jarange made it clear that ending the fast did not mean that the broader agitation had ended. He warned that he could take the protest to Mumbai if the government failed to meet the commitments within the deadline.
Focus on Gazettes and Kunbi Records
Several of the demands discussed during the talks relate to historical records and government gazettes that are being sought as a basis for establishing Kunbi lineage among eligible Marathas.
The government delegation assured Jarange that steps would be taken regarding the Satara, Kolhapur, Pune and Aundh gazettes. It also discussed changes to the government resolution concerning Kunbi certificates and the continued validation of records linked to the Hyderabad Gazette.
The issue of existing Kunbi records also featured prominently in the discussions. According to reports, the government has assured Jarange that the records identified by the Shinde Committee would be preserved.
Mumbai March Put on Hold
Jarange had been moving towards Mumbai as part of his agitation after beginning the hunger strike on August 29.
The planned Mumbai protest had raised concerns because it coincided with the Ganesh festival, when Mumbai and Pune see large crowds and heavy movement.
After the talks in Patoda, Jarange temporarily put the Mumbai march on hold and appealed to supporters who had already reached the city to return home.
Mumbai Police had also not granted permission for the proposed protest at Azad Maidan, adding another complication to the planned agitation.
Fadnavis Welcomes End of Standoff
Fadnavis said the government was satisfied that the immediate standoff had ended without the situation escalating further.
The chief minister maintained that the state government had adopted a positive approach towards the Maratha community’s demands and would continue the administrative and legal process on the issues that had been accepted.
At the same time, the three-month deadline given by Jarange means the issue remains active. The government will now have to work on the commitments made during the negotiations before the deadline expires.
For now, the 20-day hunger strike has ended, but the larger Maratha reservation dispute remains an important issue in Maharashtra.
