Maratha Reservation: Maharashtra government accepts all demands, protest march called off

The latest leg began in August last year, when Jarange Patil began a hunger strike demanding full reservation for the Maratha community. Protests took a violent turn after protestors were lathicharged in September, post which, multiple rounds of talks began between Jarange Patil and the state government.

Maharashtra's state government had promised to look into the records of Kunbi Marathas, whose records are documented during the Nizam era. Jarange Patil demanded that the 54 lakh Kunbi Marathas, whose records were found by the government, should be added to the same OBC category along with their relatives. Kunbi Marathas were given OBC status in 2004. He had warned that if certificates were not provided to these Marathas by January 20, he will march towards Mumbai.

The state govt claimed that the state machinery was working on it but it wasn't possible to complete this mammoth task by January 20.

As a result, Jarange Patil began his march from Jalna on January 20 along with lakhs of supporters with an intention to protest at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Republic Day.

The protestors were camping in Vashi, Navi Mumbai last night when the protests were called off after their demands were accepted by the state government.