Manoj Jarange Patil, a prominent face of Maharashtra’s Maratha reservation movement, left Antarwali Sarati for Mumbai on Tuesday as his hunger strike entered its 18th day.
He plans to reach Mumbai on September 19 and stage an indefinite protest at Azad Maidan. However, Mumbai Police has denied permission for the proposed agitation, citing law-and-order and crowd-management concerns during the Ganesh festival.
Jarange had initially planned to bring a large number of Maratha supporters from different parts of Maharashtra to Mumbai.
In view of police restrictions and security arrangements, he has now changed his strategy and is travelling with a much smaller group of around five to 10 associates.
While leaving for Mumbai, Jarange said he would not withdraw from the agitation until the Maratha community’s reservation demands were addressed. He also said the protest would remain peaceful and democratic.
Who is Manoj Jarange Patil?
Jarange is a Maratha activist from Maharashtra’s Beed district. He comes from Matori village and grew up in a farming family. According to reports, he left school before completing Class 12 and later moved to Shahgad in neighbouring Jalna district, where he worked at a hotel and a sugar factory. He also worked in agriculture.
His involvement in Maratha community issues began more than a decade ago. In 2011, he founded the Shivba Sanghatana, an organisation focused on Maratha issues. He was also associated with the Congress at the local level before leaving politics.
Jarange became widely known in 2023, when he began an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district demanding reservation for Marathas.
His protest gained statewide attention after clashes between police and protesters on September 1, 2023. The incident was followed by protests across Maharashtra and helped establish Jarange as one of the most prominent leaders of the Maratha quota movement.
Since then, he has repeatedly used hunger strikes and marches to press the Maharashtra government over reservation-related demands.
What is Jarange demanding?
The central demand in Jarange’s current agitation is the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas who can establish historical links with the Kunbi community.
Kunbis are included in Maharashtra’s OBC category. Jarange has argued that historical records establish Kunbi links for sections of the Maratha community and that eligible people should therefore receive Kunbi certificates and access OBC reservation benefits.
His demands also include implementation of decisions related to ‘Sage Soyare’, which concerns the eligibility of certain blood relatives of people recognised as Kunbis for Kunbi certificates.
Other demands raised by Jarange include withdrawal of cases registered against Maratha protesters and assistance, including jobs or compensation, for families of people who died during earlier Maratha reservation agitations.
Why is the Maratha reservation issue complicated?
The Maratha reservation issue has a long legal history.
In 2018, Maharashtra introduced a separate reservation for the Maratha community under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes category. The quota was initially fixed at 16%.
In 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the law, holding that the circumstances cited by the state did not justify exceeding the 50% reservation ceiling.
Following the court ruling, the demand for reservation through the Kunbi route has become a major part of Jarange’s campaign.
Why is Jarange fasting again?
Jarange began his latest indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati on August 29. He has described the protest as another phase of his campaign for Maratha reservation.
The Maharashtra government has said it has already taken several steps on the demands. It has identified historical Kunbi records and said the process of issuing certificates to eligible applicants will be expedited.
The government has also said it is prepared to discuss the community’s demands within the constitutional and legal framework.
Jarange, however, has maintained that the government’s measures do not go far enough and has continued his hunger strike.
Why is the Mumbai protest controversial?
Jarange’s decision to move the agitation to Mumbai comes during Ganeshotsav, when the city experiences large crowds, heavy traffic and heightened security arrangements.
Mumbai Police has denied permission for the proposed protest at Azad Maidan, citing concerns related to public order and the management of large gatherings during the festival.
Jarange has rejected the decision and said he will continue towards Mumbai. His planned route includes Patoda in Beed, Shrigonda in Ahilyanagar, Hadapsar in Pune and Khopoli in Raigad.
The Bombay High Court has also heard the matter concerning the proposed Mumbai protest. Jarange has cited the court proceedings while arguing that a democratic protest should not be stopped, although authorities retain the power to take lawful measures for public order.
Jarange alleges threat to his life
The agitation has also been accompanied by serious allegations from Jarange. He has claimed that a conspiracy is being hatched to kill him and has alleged that there is a plan to have him shot.
These allegations have not been independently confirmed.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and several state ministers have appealed to Jarange to end his hunger strike. The government has maintained that it is willing to engage with representatives of the Maratha community on demands that can be addressed within the legal framework.
Security tightened along the route
Security arrangements have been strengthened around Jarange’s movement. According to the information released for the convoy, 648 security personnel have been deployed between Antarwali Sarati and Shahgarh.
The deployment includes three SDPOs, 10 inspectors, 30 API/PSIs, 300 police personnel and 265 home guards. Two platoons of Rapid City Police have also been deployed.
The convoy includes two SUVs and two ambulances, while SPU personnel and two Jalna Police bodyguards are also part of the security arrangement.
A prominent face of the Maratha quota movement
Jarange does not hold an elected office, but his repeated hunger strikes and ability to mobilise supporters have made him a prominent figure in Maharashtra’s Maratha reservation movement.
His latest Mumbai march has once again brought the reservation issue into focus, with the proposed protest taking place during Ganeshotsav and Mumbai Police refusing permission for the planned agitation at Azad Maidan.
For Jarange, the immediate focus remains the implementation of his reservation-related demands, particularly the issue of Kunbi certificates for eligible Marathas. The state government, meanwhile, has maintained that any decision on reservation must comply with the Constitution and judicial orders.
