WATCH: Manoj Jarange Ends Fast After Shinde Offers Him Juice- All About Maratha Agitation

Maratha Quota Activist Manoj Jarange ended his indefinite fast on Saturday, January 27 after Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde offered juice to him. Manoj Jarange Patil had annuounced the end of stir earlier in the day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accepted the demands. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday at Vashi in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where the latter has been camping with thousands of protesters over the demand for reservation to his community. 

Jarange  had warned that he would resume his march towards Mumbai on Saturday and launch a hunger strike if the government did not meet his demands by Friday night. The Maratha community under Manoj Jarange has been demanding reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education. 

Shinde accepts demands 

However, the stir was called off after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday night had sent Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange a draft ordinance regarding his various demands. Manoj Jarange, 40-year-old activist, had planned to stage a hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai from Friday but ended his indefinite fast after drinking a glass of juice offered by the chief minister.

Late at night, the government sent a delegation with a draft ordinance regarding the demands. The government also issued a notification to recognise as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found. 

CM announces OBC benefits for Marathas

"Camps have been set up to collect affidavits from the community members and a committee at taluka level has also been formed to identify and verify the Kunbi lineage among Marathas," said Shinde. "I take decisions in the interest of people and for their welfare, not for votes," he said amid applause from the gathering.

All about Maratha agitation 

This was the fourth protest by Jarange within a year with the demand of reservation to Maratha community. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and Jarange has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas. On Friday, Jarange made a fresh demand that the government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefit of reservation becomes available for the entire community.

The Marathas are a group of castes comprising peasants and landowners among others constituting nearly 33% of the state’s population and most Marathas are Marathi-speaking.  Historically, they have been identified as a warrior caste. However, over the years, due to various factors many Marathas have faced social and economic backwardness.

The community still plays an important role in the rural economy. Therefore, they have been demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutions under the category of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC).