Fadnavis Aide Urges Jarange to Delay Protest

An aide to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange in Jalna on Tuesday, requesting a postponement of his planned Mumbai protest due to the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Jarange, who has set a deadline of August 26 for the state to grant a 10% reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, remains firm on launching a march to Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on August 27 if demands are unmet, followed by an indefinite hunger strike starting August 29.

Rajendra Sable Patil, the Chief Minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), visited Jarange at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, urging him to reconsider the timing of the agitation, which coincides with the Ganpati festival beginning Wednesday. “I discussed the protest route with Jarange and requested a delay due to Ganeshotsav,” Patil told reporters. The state is keen to avoid disruptions during the widely celebrated festival, which draws massive crowds in Mumbai.

Jarange, however, reiterated his demand for Marathas to be recognized as Kunbis, an agrarian caste eligible for OBC benefits in education and government jobs. He dismissed the government’s 2024 announcement of a separate 10% Maratha quota, insisting it lacks permanence and could be scrapped. “We’ve waited two years; the government must act today, or we march peacefully tomorrow,” Jarange declared, confirming a fixed route to Azad Maidan.

Also Read: Maratha Quota Activist Threatens Mumbai Protest

The Maratha reservation issue, a long-standing concern in Maharashtra, where the community constitutes about 30% of the population, has fueled tensions. Jarange’s campaign intensified after the Supreme Court struck down a previous quota in 2021, citing insufficient evidence of the community’s backwardness. The activist claims historical records, like the Hyderabad Gazette, support Marathas’ Kunbi identity. The state’s recent inclusion of 29 other castes in the OBC category has further irked protesters, who see it as sidelining their demands.

Fadnavis, also the state’s home minister, faces pressure to balance Maratha demands with opposition from OBC groups, who fear dilution of their 27% quota. With local elections looming, the government is wary of unrest. “We’re open to dialogue, but the OBC quota won’t be touched,” Fadnavis said recently, signaling a delicate negotiation ahead.

Also Read: Minister Appeals for Dialogue Amid Impending Maratha Quota March to Mumbai