Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the Maharashtra government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that till Marathas get reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs.
But a draft notification issued by the government following negotiations with Jarange, stating that blood relatives of a Maratha person, who has records to show that he belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, would also be recognised as Kunbi, evoked criticism from senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal who questioned the 'backdoor entry' of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis tried to assuage concerns of the OBCs, stating that Marathas would not get Kunbi caste certificate without any proof.
Jarange had launched his fast at Vashi in Navi Mumbai, a satellite city of Mumbai, on Friday, in the presence of thousands of his supporters.
He had set out on a protest march from his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district last Saturday. The 40-year-old activist originally planned to stage a hunger strike at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai from January 26.
On reaching Vashi on Friday morning, the 'morcha' made an overnight halt but Jarange warned that they would enter Mumbai on Saturday for their planned protest if their demands were not met.
The government then came out with a draft notification which fulfilled one of Jarange's key demands. It said that all blood relatives of a Maratha person, whose Kunbi caste records have already been found, would also be recognised as Kunbi.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation for reservation for the Marathas since last August, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.
In the morning, Jarange said he was withdrawing his agitation as the government had accepted all his demands.
CM Shinde reached the protest venue around 10.45 am. Jarange accepted a glass of juice offered to him by the CM and ended his fast.
Speaking on the occasion, Shinde said, "Till the Marathas get reservation, they will get all the rights and benefits enjoyed by the OBCs."
The Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde committee, set up to find Kunbi records of Marathas, will be given extension, the CM said, adding, "camps have been set up to collect affidavits from the community members and committees have been formed at the taluka level to identify and verify Kunbi lineage of Marathas."
Several senior political leaders belong to the Maratha community, but the community members failed to get justice till now, Shinde said.
"My style of functioning is that I honour all commitments I make. I am a farmer's son and I understand your pain and agony. I had taken oath in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that I will give reservation to the community and I am fulfilling it," the CM added.
Jarange expressed happiness that his demands have been met.
"All blood relatives and family members from the same-caste marriage of a Maratha applicant, whose Kunbi records have been found, should be given Kunbi caste certificates. We had demanded that all the 54 lakh certificates should be given immediately," he said.
He also warned that Marathas should not be provoked. "We don't want conflict between Marathas and OBCs," he said.
It was the responsibility of the government to ensure the notification did not face any hurdle, or else he will again head for Azad Maidan in Mumbai to launch a hunger strike, he said.
While the Shinde government succeeded in averting a prolonged agitation led by Jarange in the state capital, cabinet minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar group) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is a prominent OBC leader, openly criticised the draft notification issued by his own government, indicating an internal rift.
"The draft notification providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas is an eyewash. It is a matter of study whether it is injustice to OBCs or if Marathas are being taken for a ride. Intellectuals from the Maratha community should also think about it," he said, adding that the community was making backdoor entry into the OBC reservation.
Speaking in Nagpur, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the OBCs need not worry as no injustice will be done to them.
"I want to tell Bhujbal that Kunbi certificates will not be given to those who cannot show proof of Kunbi records. The decision will benefit those who have records but have not been able to obtain caste certificates," the senior BJP leader asserted.
Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio in the Shinde government, also clarified that FIRs will not be withdrawn against those who had indulged in arson and had damaged public property during the course of the quota stir.
Marathas, the largest community in the state, have dominated Maharashtra's politics for decades. The state government had earlier passed a law to provide quota to them in jobs and education, but it was struck down by the Supreme Court in May 2021, stating that there were no grounds to justify breach of the 50 per cent cap on overall reservation.
