In a historic moment for the Maratha community, Manoj Jarange-Patil broke his ongoing fast on Saturday morning after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met him and offered him juice at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Vashi. CM Shinde visited the Maratha leader after he agreed to call off his protest after the government's move of accepting to all his demands.
CM Shinde along with other ministers like Girish Mahajan, Mangalprabhat Lodha and Deepak Kesarkar met Jarange-Patil and handed over the GR which read that OBC certificates will be provided to all the people belonging to the Maratha community who were registered under the Kunbi community. CM Shinde and Manoj Jarange-Patil also together garland the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Navi Mumbai.
Jarange-Patil Calls Off Protest
Stating that the Maharashtra government has "accepted our request," Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who started his hunger strike on Friday said, the protest is over now.
"Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has done a good job. Our protest is now over. Our request has been accepted. We will accept the letter from him. I will drink juice by the hands of the Chief Minister tomorrow (Saturday)," Patil said while addressing a press conference on Friday night.
Referring to the demand of giving a Kunbi certificate to all 54 lakh people whose proof of being Kunabi has been found till now, Patil said that they will be given the certificates soon. "54 lakh entries were found for our fight. They will be given the certificate soon," he said.
Earlier on Friday, Patil warned the state government to issue a Government Resolution regarding the Maratha quota, adding that if their demands were not met then protestors would march towards Mumbai on Saturday morning. He also urged the Maharashtra Government to withdraw all the cases registered by the police regarding the demand for Maratha reservation in the state.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said that the ordinance that was passed has the solution to all the problems, thus there is no need to continue the protests.
"A movement which was going on in Maharashtra for Maratha reservation under the leadership of Manoj Jarange Patil has reached a solution today. The ordinance that was passed today has the solution to all the problems. Manoj Jarange Patil has announced that since the solution has been received, there is no need to continue the protests. CM Eknath Shinde will end Manoj Jarange Patil's fast with juice. The movement has reached a solution," Lodha said on Friday.
On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs, after noting that there was no valid ground to breach 50 per cent reservation while granting Maratha reservation.
