‘Today is our Diwali’: Manoj Jarange in tears after govt accepts Maratha OBC quota demand | Watch

Jarange-Patil broke his fast after Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil handed him a copy of a state government resolution accepting his demands

Updated on: Sep 3, 2025, 04:48:19 IST

By HT News Desk

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Activist Manoj Jarange-Patil ended his five-day hunger strike on Tuesday after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including granting Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas to ensure OBC quota for them.

Activist Manoj Jarange-Patil during his indefinite hunger strike demanding Maratha reservation, at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai, on Friday. (PTI) (HT_PRINT)

"Today is Diwali for us as we have got what we wanted," activist Manoj Jarange Patil said as he broke down in tears.

"Maratha vijay zala, aj vijay zala, sukhi zala (Marathas have emerged victorious today and we are happy)," Jarange Patil said as he was carried from the stage to the ambulance.

Also read | ‘Conveyed legal issues…’: CM Fadnavis on Maratha quota as Jarange ends stir

Jarange-Patil ended his fast in the evening after Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil handed him a copy of a state government resolution accepting his demands.

He took a sip of juice from Vikhe-Patil as his supporters cheered at Azad Maidan. He was immediately taken to the hospital for a checkup.

Earlier he had announced that the Maharashtra government accepted their demands for reservation benefits for Marathas. He made the announcement after a government delegation led by Vikhe-Patil met him at Azad Maidan, where the Maratha activist has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the last five days.

The delegation handed over the draft of the government resolution (GR) to Jarange-Patil, agreeing to his demands.

As reported by HT, the Maharashtra government has accepted the demand for implementation of the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes, a notification announcing that Marathas and Kunbis are one and the same, and implementation of the “Sage Soyare” (blood and marital relatives) notification issued last year, said Jarange-Patil, who has been demanding that all Marathas in Marathwada (central Maharashtra) should be treated as Kunbis as they were during the Nizam rule.

The government has also accepted their demand that cases registered against the Maratha protesters be withdrawn, he added.

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HT News Desk
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