Heralding celebrations, activist Manoj Jarange announced victory after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including giving Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas, on the fifth day of his indefinite fast.
"We will leave Mumbai by 9 pm today if the Maharashtra government issues GRs (government resolutions) on the Maratha quota demands," Jarange said. The sub-committee accepted Jarange's demands to implement the Hyderabad Gazette and said Marathas with Kunbi records will be given caste certificates after conducting a proper inquiry.
The activist has been on a hunger strike since August 29, demanding a 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community in government jobs and education. This would be possible if they were recognised as 'Kunbis', an agrarian caste who were included in the OBC category, hence making them eligible for reservation.
What is the 'Hyderabad Gazette' of 1918?
The Maratha community had a sizeable presence in Hyderabad that was ruled by the Nizams.
In order to include them in the administrative affairs as well as in employment, the Nizam government issued an order granting them reservations.
They were officially categorised as the 'Kunbi' community, which allowed them to access reservations in education and employment. This official order was published in the Gazette of the Hyderabad State in 1918, and hence it came to be known as the 'Hyderabad Gazette'.
This is also the reason why the Hyderabad Gazette has been taken as a reference for the reservation demands for the Maratha community in Maharashtra. It contains the official documentation that the Maratha community has long been recognised as socially and educationally backward.