Mumbai on alert as Maratha quota protest may move to the city
JALNA/MUMBAI: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Thursday refused to end an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district and warned he would shift the protest to Mumbai on September 12 if his demands were not met by September 11, ANI reported.
Jarange, who has been fasting for the past week seeking reservation relief for the Maratha community, held his ground despite a delegation of state ministers and legislators visiting him in an attempt to persuade him to call off the fast. The delegation included Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Makarand Patil, according to ANI.
The meeting did not break the deadlock. Vikhe Patil urged Jarange to withdraw or postpone the hunger strike, citing the activist’s deteriorating health, and reiterated the government's commitment to address Maratha concerns. The minister said the state had traced approximately 58 lakh Kunbi records and would hasten issuance of Kunbi caste certificates. Nodal officers, he added, would be appointed to monitor the process and resolve difficulties applicants may face.
- Jarange has demanded Kunbi caste certificates for eligible Marathas so they can claim reservation under the OBC quota.
- He urged members of the Maratha community to begin applying for Kunbi certificates from September 4, using records traced through the Hyderabad Gazette.
- The activist said families could apply based on blood relations, family links and clan connections with people whose Kunbi records were identified; those facing problems should contact the district collector.
Kunbis are classified as Other Backward Classes (OBC) and are eligible for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. Jarange’s demand is that eligible Marathas be issued Kunbi certificates to avail of this quota.
ANI quoted Jarange as saying he would continue his fast until all demands of the Maratha community were accepted.
While the state delegation outlined administrative steps, it did not announce concrete timelines for distribution of certificates beyond the commitment to expedite the process. The insistence on appointing nodal officers signals an effort to create a monitoring mechanism, but Jarange’s refusal to relent shows the limits of current engagement.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Jarange begins hunger strike | Early September (ongoing for a week as of Sep 4) |
| Government delegation meets Jarange | September 3–4, 2026 |
| Deadline set by Jarange | September 11, 2026 |
| Potential protest shift to Mumbai | September 12, 2026 |
Political observers in Mumbai note the sensitivity of reservation issues in Maharashtra. The prospect of demonstrations in the city could have immediate effects on civic administration, traffic, public transport and law-and-order measures across suburban and central areas.
City authorities and the Mumbai police have not issued public statements so far regarding preparations for any protest that may reach the metropolis on September 12. If demonstrations are announced, municipal and police agencies typically coordinate to identify protest routes, obtain permissions and manage crowds — steps that will be closely watched by residents of South Mumbai, Dadar, and the suburbs where political rallies often gather.
Jarange’s appeal that families use traced Kunbi records, including the Hyderabad Gazette listings, to apply for certificates suggests an administrative route for resolution. Yet activists and community leaders say issuance of certificates and their verification can be a slow process, involving documentary checks and scrutiny by district authorities.
For Mumbai residents, the immediate concern will be any large-scale mobilisation that could disrupt daily life. The issue also carries broader political implications ahead of local and state-level contests, as parties calibrate their responses to community demands. The state government’s promise to expedite certificate issuance and appoint nodal officers will be gauged on how fast tangible action reaches affected applicants across districts.
ANI reported the developments; WE NEWS has summarised the official claims and the activist’s position from that reporting.
