Maratha quota row: 'Protest over, our request has been accepted', says Patil

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil called off his protest, claiming the Maharashtra government has accepted their request. The move came hours after he gave an ultimatum to the government yesterday to amend its free education policy to include all Marathas. Jarange had also demanded the policy be amended to include boys, too, along with girls.

Patil had warned that if his demands were not met within 11am on Saturday, he and his supporters would enter Mumbai today for their planned protest and hunger strike at the Azad Maidan ground. They had reached Navi Mumbai yesterday and camped there.

“Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has done a good job. Our protest is now over. Our request has been accepted,” he said at a press conference late on Friday night. “We will accept the letter from him. I will drink juice by the hands of the chief minister tomorrow (Saturday).”

Shinde, after meeting officials to discuss Patil's demands, sent a delegation late Friday night with a draft ordinance addressing the concerns. The delegation, reportedly, included social justice department secretary Sumant Bhange, Aurangabad divisional commissioner Madhukar Arangal, chief minister's personal secretary Amol Shinde among others.

Referring to the demand of giving a Kunbi certificate to all 54 lakh people whose proof of being Kunbi has been found till now, Patil said they will be given the certificates soon.

Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said that the ordinance that was passed attended to all the demands made by Patil. "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 protest. CM Eknath Shinde will end Manoj Jarange Patil's fast with juice. The movement has reached a solution," Lodha had 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.