Celebrations at Azad Maidan as Manoj Jarange Declares Victory in Maratha Quota Protest
Azad Maidan turned into a sea of celebration on Tuesday as Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange declared victory after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands.
Jarange, who had been on a hunger strike in Mumbai for the last five days, told thousands of his supporters that the state had agreed to key points raised in his agitation. His words, “Jitlo re raje ho apan” (we have won, my friends), brought tears and cheers from the gathered crowd.
STORY | Azad Maidan erupts in joy as Maratha quota activist Jarange declares victory
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 2, 2025
Scenes of triumph and jubilation unfolded at the historic Azad Maidan on Tuesday as Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange declared victory for his agitation after the Maharashtra government's… pic.twitter.com/wyiHDYjGWY
The breakthrough came after a delegation of the state’s cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quota, led by Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, met Jarange at Azad Maidan. The government announced it would issue a Government Resolution (GR) implementing the Hyderabad and Satara Gazette provisions for Maratha reservation. Officials confirmed that the GR would be handed over shortly.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: State ministers visited to meet activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is staging a protest for Maratha reservation pic.twitter.com/N6ifrXjteC
— IANS (@ians_india) September 2, 2025
Relieved supporters listened as Jarange announced the end of his fast and said protestors would leave Mumbai by 9 pm. “As soon as the GR is released, we will leave Mumbai joyfully, showering gulal. We will dance our way out of the city,” he told the minister.
VIDEO | Maharashtra: Activist Manoj Jarange ends his 5-day hunger strike, drinks water at Azad Maidan.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 2, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/stPHcA0xS8
In a move that further calmed tensions, Vikhe Patil directed police not to penalize protestors whose vehicles had been moved earlier in line with Bombay High Court orders.
The government also clarified that while one GR would be issued immediately, the remaining three gazettes would take about a month. For Jarange and his supporters, this assurance was enough to call the latest phase of the agitation a success.
The scenes at Azad Maidan marked the culmination of one of the most visible protests in recent months, with the Maratha community hopeful that the long-standing demand for reservation is finally moving closer to reality.
