Maratha stir chokes Mumbai, Devendra Fadnavis voices concern

Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil began an indefinite fast in Mumbai, demanding that Marathas be classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) so they can avail reservation in education and government jobs.

The agitation brought parts of Mumbai-especially South Mumbai-to a standstill, as hundreds of Maratha community protestors, arriving in vehicles, disrupted traffic across central parts of the city.

While the Maharashtra opposition slammed the Mahayuti government for its failure to resolve the Maratha quota issue, the BJP countered the opposition, daring Uddhav Thackeray (UBT), Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), and the Congress to promise quota to Marathas from the existing OBC category.


The BJP's remark comes even as several OBC communities in the state have warned against including Marathas under the OBC umbrella. These groups argue that the current OBC population already struggles to access the limited quota available, and the inclusion of Marathas would further dilute their share. The Rashtriya OBC Maha Sangh, an umbrella organisation of several OBC communities, has announced a counter hunger strike in Nagpur in response to Jarange's protest.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed concern over tensions between the two communities.

"The two communities-Marathas and OBCs-are now standing against each other, and we don't want this in Maharashtra. We have to take care of OBCs as well as do justice for Marathas. Some people are trying to escalate the situation. They want a fight between OBCs and Marathas for political gain. They should stop trying to take advantage of this, or they will be burnt in the process," said Fadnavis.

While he did not name any party, Fadnavis was indirectly referring to opposition parties like the NCP (SP) and UBT, accusing them of inciting Maratha protests.