Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday warned the Maharashtra government to announce reservation for the Maratha community “within the legal framework” by Tuesday, failing which he would head to Mumbai to begin an indefinite hunger strike.
Jarange said the protest, scheduled to start at Azad Maidan on August 29, would be peaceful. However, he asserted that if the demand is met by Tuesday, there would be no need for the agitation.
The activist has been demanding that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis—an agrarian caste under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category—making them eligible for quotas in education and government jobs. He has cited historical records, including the Bombay, Satara, and Hyderabad gazettes, as evidence of the community’s Kunbi identity.
Speaking at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of taking a “stubborn stand” on the issue, alleging that the recent inclusion of 29 other castes in the OBC category was a move to provoke the Maratha community.
“The government has today and tomorrow. We don’t want to go to Mumbai. Give us our reservation,” he said, adding that the current 10% quota for Marathas under a separate category is not enough and could be revoked at any time.
Jarange claimed that the Justice Shinde committee had already identified 58 lakh historical records proving the Marathas’ Kunbi status and submitted them to the state government. “If communities with no records can get reservation, why not us?” he asked.
If the government fails to act, Jarange and his supporters will begin their journey to Mumbai on August 27, stopping at Shivneri Fort before reaching Azad Maidan via Rajgurunagar, Chakan, Lonavala, Panvel, Vashi, and Chembur. The agitation will begin at 10 am on August 29.
Jarange urged Maratha community members, including teachers, farmers, and businesspersons, to join the protest, bringing along essentials such as water tankers, medicines, and ambulances. He reiterated that the movement will remain peaceful but firm on its demand.
