Jarange Marches to Mumbai, Vows Peaceful Protest During Ganeshotsav

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange embarked on his "Chalo Mumbai" march from his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Wednesday, resolute in his demand for reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Despite a Bombay High Court ruling barring protests at Azad Maidan without prior permission due to the ongoing Ganesh festival, Jarange, 43, affirmed that his supporters would ensure a peaceful agitation, minimizing disruption during the celebrations starting today.

Speaking to reporters before setting out, Jarange emphasized discipline, stating, “There will be attempts to provoke us, but we will protest peacefully at Azad Maidan. We will ensure no inconvenience during Ganeshotsav.” Hundreds of supporters from Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, and other Marathwada districts gathered in Antarwali Sarati to join the march, which is expected to culminate in an indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai from August 29 if the government fails to meet the demand for a 10% OBC quota for Marathas.

Jarange’s core demand is the recognition of all Marathas as Kunbis, an agrarian caste eligible for OBC benefits in education and government jobs. He claims over 58 lakh historical records, including the Hyderabad, Satara, and Bombay gazettes, support this classification. The activist has accused the Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, of delaying action on promises made over the past two years.

Also Read: Jarange Unyielding on Maratha Quota Protest in Mumbai

On Tuesday, Fadnavis’s aide urged Jarange to postpone the protest due to the festival, and a state cabinet sub-committee extended the Shinde panel’s timeline by six months to explore Maratha-Kunbi lineage. Jarange, undeterred, insisted, “No matter how long it takes, we won’t return without the quota.” The Bombay High Court suggested Kharghar in Navi Mumbai as an alternative protest site, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for September 9.

Also Read: Fadnavis Aide Urges Jarange to Delay Protest