'Diwali for us today': Maratha activist Manoj Jarange ends fast
What's the story
The Maharashtra government has agreed to the primary demand of Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil in the ongoing quota agitation. A delegation of ministers assured Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan that a Government Resolution (GR) will be issued to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, which will grant Kunbi status to Marathas in Marathwada. Hours after the announcement, he broke down in tears as he accepted the GR given by the Maharashtra cabinet sub-committee on Maratha Reservation and broke his fast.
Patil
We have got what we wanted: Patil
"Today is Diwali for us, as we have got what we wanted," Patil said after breaking the fast. "According to this government decision, an action plan is proposed under which individuals from the Maratha community in the village will be issued Kunbi caste certificates after verification if their relatives, clan members, or people from the same village have already been issued such certificates," he said earlier after the government assured a GR will be issued.
Twitter Post
Patil breaking fast
#WATCH | Mumbai: "Today is Diwali for us as we have got what we wanted," said Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2025
He broke down in tears as he accepted the Government Resolution (GR) given by the Maharashtra cabinet sub-committee on Maratha Reservation and broke… https://t.co/UnJNNJSQ1W pic.twitter.com/IAGha0Grj6
Protest continuation
Patil has been on hunger strike
Patil has been on a hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan since Friday, demanding job and education reservations for Marathas in the Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions. The Kunbi community in Maharashtra enjoys reservation under the OBC category. But for the Maratha reservation issue, the Hyderabad Gazette is significant since the Marathwada region of present-day Maharashtra was once part of the Hyderabad state.
CM
CM congratulates cabinet sub-committee
Reacting to the breakthrough, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Their most important demand was that the Hyderabad Gazetteer should be implemented.....their point was that you should implement it for everyone, so we tried to explain to them that a reservation is not for a group; it is for an individual." "Some proof has to be given for it. [If] the name of their grandfather or great-grandfather is there in the Hyderabad Gazetteer in this Kulbhi caste,...they will get its benefit."
Legal proceedings
Bombay High Court warning
The protester's meeting with the state government came hours after the Bombay High Court asked Jarange and his supporters to vacate the site before "3:00PM today," or necessary action would be initiated. While hearing a PIL on inconvenience caused to people due to the protests, it also questioned why over 60,000 people turned up when only a gathering of 5,000 was permitted. The court later adjourned the hearing to Wednesday at 1:00pm following a request by senior advocate Satish Maneshinde.