Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil announces hunger stir in Mumbai

Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday announced yet another indefinite fast seeking Maratha reservations. This time in Mumbai, the Maratha leader will start his fast this time in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park Dadar.

“ I will be launching a indefinite fast from January 20 in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, Dadar and Azad Maidan near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Our agitation would be peaceful.. we would be 3 crore Maratha community people that would be coming to participate in the stir,”said Jarange Patil while addressing a Maratha rally in Beed.

The Maratha leader warned the government that it has time to resolve the Maratha quota issue till January 20.


“Once we go to Mumbai, I am letting you know that we would not return without getting reservations,” said Jarange Patil. The Maratha leader warned the state government that any attempt to cause any obstacles to their stir would cause problems for the Maharashtra government. The Maratha leader had previously warned that if they come to Mumbai it could result in a shutdown due to the huge numbers of Maratha protestors coming into the city.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra government sent another emissary to convince Jarange Patil to back down from his demands which the government said was legally untenable. An MLA from the Prahar Janshakti Party, Bachchu Kadu, met Jarange Patil and asked him to back down from his demand that the wife's caste be also recognized for reservations.

Basically Jarange Patil wanted the wife’s caste to be recognized for reservations. The Maharashtra government has told Jarange Patil that in India the father’s caste is only recognized for reservations. Bachchu Kadu however was unable to convince Jarange Patil who has said that the government should honour its word and give all the blood relatives of the Maratha community reservation.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that the Maratha community who have historical proof of being Kunbi (a sub-caste of Marathas that is in the OBC category) will get Kunbi caste certificates and be included as OBC's. Shinde has also said that for the rest of the Maratha community the state would bring in a bill in February next year to give them reservations under the Socially and Educationally backward category. Jarange Patil however has now maintained that the wife’s caste even if she is married to a non-Kunbi maratha family should be given Kunbi caste certificates and given reservation.