The Maratha quota agitation in Maharashtra intensified as activist Manoj Jarange entered the third day of his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan pressing for a 10% reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange demands that Marathas be recognized as Kunbis, an agrarian caste already included in the OBC category, to secure reservation benefits in government jobs and education. However, this proposal has sparked resistance from OBC leaders, complicating the state’s efforts to find a solution.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, known for his flexible approach, is under pressure to resolve the escalating crisis. State Minister Chandrakant Patil, speaking in Solapur, hinted at Fadnavis’ willingness to personally intervene if it could lead to a breakthrough, stating, “The Chief Minister is never rigid.

He is so flexible that he can even go to meet delegations, but it must bring a solution, not just humiliation.” Patil emphasized the constitutional constraints, including the Supreme Court’s 52% cap on reservations, which limits the state’s ability to accommodate Jarange’s demands without a constitutional amendment.

Late on August 30, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads a cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quota issue, met Fadnavis for an hour-long discussion, joined by senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan. The sub-committee, tasked with addressing the community’s social, educational, and economic demands, is set to reconvene on Sunday to explore solutions.

A government delegation led by retired Justice Sandeep Shinde met Jarange on Saturday, but the activist dismissed the effort, arguing it was not Shinde’s role to issue a Government Resolution (GR) declaring Marathas and Kunbis as the same. “This is an insult to the state and the government,” Jarange said, vowing to continue his fast until the demands are met.

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The agitation has reignited political tensions. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar highlighted the Supreme Court’s 52% reservation cap but noted Tamil Nadu’s 72% quota as a precedent, urging a constitutional amendment and a transparent central policy to avoid social discord. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, taking a jab at his uncle Sharad Pawar, remarked that those giving advice had ample time in power to act but failed to do so.

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