Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sent four members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee to broker peace with Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil and convince him to end his hunger strike. While three of them are Marathas themselves, one of them, industries minister Uday Samant, belongs to the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) caste.
About The Maratha Members Of The Committee
The Maratha members are the committee head and water resources minister (Godavari and Krishna Valley) Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, PWD minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale (a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj), and newly-appointed controversial minister Manikrao Kokate. Files under their arms, the team arrived at Azad Maidan around 3.30 pm and spent nearly three hours in discussions with the ailing activist. Other officials waited on the side but did not participate.
Vikhe Patil led the negotiations, presenting the draft prepared by the state government and explaining the legal hurdles and practical challenges in implementing some of the demands. He emphasised that while the government is positive about the Maratha reservation demands, it must also ensure that the rights of other communities (OBCs) are not violated. Jarange had his own team of experts that he consulted. He ran the promises by his team, which numbered around five, some of them academics.
After prolonged deliberations, the sub-committee succeeded in convincing Jarange to call off his protest, after Jarange's team greenlit the promises. Jarange then explained what he had agreed to point by point to his followers, who erupted in cheers for each of the points. Jarange then said if the promises were not met, he would be back. Jarange then raised his hands and announced victory for the Marathas. Jarange finally said that he accepted the words of Shivendra Raje Bhosale and Radhakrisha Vikhe and held them accountable for the delivery of the promises.
The call triggered a wave of jubilation, and a cloud of red gulal went up amid the gathered protesters. Saffron flags danced across Azad Maidan, giving Marathas a of satisfaction of having affected their purpose by bringing the city to a standstill. Addressing his supporters after the meeting, Jarange acknowledged that the government had accepted most of his demands. Suspending his hunger strike and marking a turning point in the five-day agitation, he said, “I am satisfied that the government has shown seriousness and has accepted our core demands.”
