Jarange begins 11th fast, threatens stir in Mumbai

Mumbai: Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil began his 11th hunger strike in his village Antarvali Sarati in Jalna, seeking OBC caste certificates for Marathas, who are considered upper castes, among other demands.

Jarange Patil has now called for the disbanding of the Caste Verification Committee that verifies caste certificates. He has threatened to take his agitation to Mumbai if his demands are not accepted.

"This is our final battle, this time we will get all our demands accepted, if the government does not accept our demands then we will go and protest in Varsha (Chief Minister's official residence in Mumbai) or Azad Maidan. The people of Mumbai should bear with us."


Jarange Patil wants Marathas to be given Kunbi (OBC) caste certificates based on the Hyderabad Gazette, under which certain Marathas were classified as Kunbis. Jarange claims that there are 58 lakh such records of Maratha families and wants entire families to be issued such caste certificates based on these records.

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The OBC community has opposed Jarange Patil's demands, saying they could make the OBC pool, which is already crowded with several communities vying for reservation benefits, more congested.