Maratha Activist Manoj Jarange Patil To Protest In Mumbai

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil is set to return to Mumbai on September 19 for his second hunger strike in the city over the community’s reservation demand. His arrival is expected to pose a bigger challenge for the city, with his protest coinciding with Gauri Ganesh Visarjan, when large parts of Mumbai are already expected to witness heavy crowds, traffic restrictions and heightened security.

Jarange plans to begin his march from Jalna on September 15 and reach Mumbai on September 19, when he will begin his hunger strike at Azad Maidan. The march will pass through Beed, Shirgonda, Pune, Khopoli, and Navi Mumbai before entering the city. On Saturday, Jarange held a meeting of protesters at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district to discuss the next phase of the agitation and chalk out the strategy for the coming days.

Revenue minister Chandrashelar Bawankule urged political and social organisations to avoid protests in Mumbai during the festival, saying large gatherings could create law-and-order challenges and inconvenience. He also appealed to all groups to maintain peace and exercise restraint during the celebrations. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had stated that holding a protest during the Ganeshotsav festival was not something a follower of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would do.

Responding to the remark, Jarange said a democratic government should not create hurdles for anyone wanting to stage peaceful protests. The Bombay High Court declined to pass any urgent order seeking to stop Jarange from the proposed protest in Mumbai. The court observed that every citizen has the right to protest and that a restraint order cannot be issued merely on the apprehension of a law-and-order situation.

Jarange has been demanding that eligible members of the Maratha community be issued Kunbi certificates, which would enable them to avail themselves of reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The activist has alleged that despite assurances from the Maharashtra government, his demands have not been fulfilled and that the government has gone back on its word.

The September 19 mobilisation will also revive memories of Jarange’s previous Mumbai agitation. In 2025, he began an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on August 29, demanding OBC reservation benefits for the Maratha community. The Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution (GR) addressing the demands on September 2, following which the five-day agitation was called off.

The protest is expected to have significant implications for the city, with potential disruptions to traffic and daily life. The Maharashtra government has been urged to engage with the protesters and find a solution to the issue. The Maratha community has been demanding reservation benefits for several years, and the protest is a culmination of their frustrations.

In conclusion, the protest by Manoj Jarange Patil and the Maratha community is a significant event that highlights the ongoing struggle for reservation benefits. The coincidence of the protest with Gauri Ganesh Visarjan adds to the complexity of the situation, and the city authorities will need to be prepared to handle the potential disruptions.