Maratha Morcha: Manoj Jarange Patil ends protest after government accepts key demands

Protesters celebrate outside BMC headquarters. PIC/SHADAB KHAN

Manoj Jarange Patil ended his five-day protest demanding reservation for the Maratha community as he accepted a glass of fruit juice from senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, head of the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, along with other panel members.

Jarange Patil declared victory for his agitation after the Maharashtra government's cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quota accepted most of his demands. As he began reading aloud what the GR mentioned after it was released by the state government, supporters clapped and cheered loudly. The protesters shouted the slogan "Jinklé re, aple raje jinkle" as they expressed their happiness.

"We are going to head straight to Lalbaugcha Raja and thank him for making us victorious. We will seek his blessings and then return to our respective villages," said Shambhu Sonawane, as he danced his heart out with his fellow mates. As the government agreed to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, granting Kunbi status to Marathas of Marathwada, the protesters, in extreme joy, shouted "Ek Maratha, Laakh Maratha." Six out of Jarange Patil's eight demands were accepted as he welcomed the draft resolution, claiming victory.

"We won't stay here even for a moment. We desperately want to return to our villages and assess the status of our damaged farms. This was the level of sacrifice we were ready to make to gain justice. And our efforts have paid off," said Sarita Sarjepatil, another protester from Beed.

Meanwhile, after the protest for the Maratha quota ended on Tuesday, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "My objective was to give justice to the community. We will continue to work for all communities in Maharashtra, be it Marathas or OBCs." He added that there were some misconceptions among OBCs over reservation for Marathas, but "they are misplaced."

Citizens speak

Sanjana Iyer, 32, IT consultant, Dombivli
"While I understand the sentiments behind the morcha, I don't support caste-based movements. They divide us further, when our identity as Indians should come first. True progress comes from education, skill-building, and employment opportunities, not caste-based demands."

Priyam Gangrade, 36, Adarsh Nagar
"When roads are blocked, students miss exams, patients struggle to reach hospitals, and livelihoods suffer. Most importantly, there should never be misbehaviour with women, children, or the elderly. The strength of a protest lies in inspiring respect, not fear."

Kiran Singh, 26, homemaker, Ulwe
"In a garden at Ulwe, protesters occupied swings meant for children. When told they were for kids, they replied, ‘Let us play for one day.' Parents had no choice but to keep their kids away."