Maratha quota agitation: Jarange Patil vows not to leave Mumbai

• Manoj Jarange Patil began a hunger strike for the Maratha quota at Azad Maidan, vowing to stay in Mumbai despite a one-day protest nod.

• He warned he is ready to face “any consequence” but urged supporters to remain peaceful as thousands gathered in the rain.

• His demands include Maratha–Kunbi recognition, ‘sage soyare’ provisions, and withdrawal of police cases against protesters.

• Leaders from the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Peasants and Workers Party backed the stir, while CM Fadnavis called it “politically driven”.

• Jarange slammed the one-day nod as an “insult”, with no government delegation meeting him yet as the Justice Shinde Committee reviews evidence.

Jarange gives ‘Chalo Mumbai’ call, terms it ‘last’ fight for Maratha quota

Mumbai’s Azad Maidan has once again become the epicentre of agitation as activist Manoj Jarange Patil launched a fresh protest on 29 August, Friday, demanding that the state government grant a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Addressing supporters at the protest site, Jarange declared that he would not leave Mumbai until the community’s demands were met. “The state has given us permission for only a one-day protest, but we will not leave Azad Maidan until justice is delivered. The Maratha community is 35 per cent of Maharashtra’s population, and we will not be ignored,” he said.

South Mumbai paralysed by Maratha quota protest gridlock

The activist, who has been leading the quota movement for over a year, warned that he was prepared to face “any consequence, even bullets” if the agitation was suppressed.

At the same time, he urged his followers to maintain peace and discipline.

Despite heavy rain and limited facilities at the grounds, thousands of supporters have continued to gather, reflecting what Jarange called the “patience and determination” of the Maratha community.

Jarange’s list of demands extends beyond the immediate quota. “Maratha Kunbis are one – this must be recognised and implemented,” he told the crowd. He called for the government to apply historical classifications recorded in the Hyderabad Gazetteer, the Satara Gazetteer and the Bombay Gazetteer, insisting that these administrative documents provide evidence of the community’s OBC status.

He also pressed for implementation of the ‘sage soyare’, or ‘family tree’ provisions, so that relatives of Kunbis are officially recognised under the same caste category.

Among other demands, Jarange also urged the withdrawal of police cases filed against protesters in earlier agitations, arguing that “Maratha brothers have sacrificed their lives for reservation and their families remain out in the open”.

He also insisted that any new quota framework must be legally sustainable, to avoid being overturned in court.

The agitation has drawn political backing from several parties. MPs such as Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Sanjay alias Bandu Jadhav (Parbhani), along with MLA Kailash Patil, all from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, have extended their support.

Jarange Patil's men have entered CST.
It is a working day and now commuters are advised to stay away by the authorities. But what about the lakhs of commuters who are already in SoBo? Hope railways ensure their safe return by evening 😡😡 pic.twitter.com/5XxjL8ZyFe

— Smita Deshmukh🇮🇳 (@smitadeshmukh) August 29, 2025

South Mumbai paralysed by Maratha quota protest gridlock

One Man Army 🔥
Manoj Jarange Patil, a struggler who led the Maratha community #MarathaInMumbai #MarathaReservation @BBCBreaking @cnnbrk @FoxNews @BBCWorld @BBCNews @news24tvchannel @ABPNews @ZeeNewsEnglish @TV9Bharatvarsh @NDTVWORLD @ANI @PTI_News @IndiaToday @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/ZMKtiw0qjY

— Sᴀɴᴋᴀʟᴘ Pᴀᴅᴡᴀʟ (SK) (@SankalpPadwal) August 29, 2025

Leaders from both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party — NCP and NCp (SP) — have also stood by the cause, including MLA Vijaysingh Pandit and MLA Prakash Solanki from the Ajit Pawar camp and Uttamrao Jankar and Narayan Aba Patil from the Sharad Pawar group. The Peasants and Workers Party’s Dr Babasaheb Deshmukh has similarly joined the chorus of support.

The government, however, has taken a cautious line. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the agitation as being politically manipulative.

“We have already provided a separate 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community while protecting the interests of 350 OBC groups. People can see through attempts to exploit this movement for political gain,” he said.

Fadnavis further warned the regional parties against using the issue for electoral advantage, saying such efforts would “backfire”.

Jarange has sharply criticised the state’s stance, calling the one-day permission for the protest “an insult to the Maratha community”. He accused the government of withholding basic facilities such as drinking water and shelter at Azad Maidan and threatened to seek relief from the courts if further permissions were denied.

Meanwhile, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, confirmed that no government delegation has yet met Jarange.

Speaking on Friday, he said, “The government is sensitive to the Maratha community’s demands. The Justice Shinde Committee is examining the Hyderabad Gazetteer and the methodology of caste certification. We appeal to Mr Jarange to suspend his agitation until the committee submits its report.”

Vikhe Patil added that the panel’s mandate had been extended by six months to ensure a comprehensive review of the evidence.

He also expressed regret over Jarange’s remarks directed at the chief minister, urging the activist to exercise restraint to prevent “unpleasant situations”.

For now, the standoff shows little sign of resolution. With the protest declared indefinite and police maintaining a heavy presence at Azad Maidan, the government faces mounting pressure to open dialogue. Jarange, however, remains steadfast.

“We will not leave Mumbai until our demands are met,” he reiterated, underscoring a confrontation that could shape Maharashtra’s political landscape in the months to come.

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