Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is again within the political highlight. This time, he’s threatening to carry a starvation strike in Mumbai if the Maratha group isn’t granted reservation below the  Kunbi class within the OBC quota. Jarange-Patil plans to launch his starvation strike at Azad Maidan on Friday after police granted him permission for a one-day protest demonstration with 5,000 folks from 9 a.m. to six p.m, with restrictions.

Protestors is not going to be allowed to take out a morcha and less than 5 automobiles might be allowed at Azad Maidan to stop overcrowding in the course of the Ganesh competition. The remainder must be parked at designated spots. Jarange-Patil mentioned he can not settle for a one-day restrict.

Patil, who made headlines in the course of the Lok Sabha elections however was lacking in the course of the meeting polls, is as soon as once more interesting to the Maratha group to again him, saying he received’t return to his village, Antarwali Sarati, till his demand is met.

Jarange says {that a} separate quota for Marathas received’t stand in a courtroom of legislation. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to offer quota, particularly for Marathas. As an alternative, he contends if Kunbi certificates are given, Marathas can get quota below OBCs.

Jarange-Patil’s anger is directed not on the total Mahayuti authorities however particularly at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a Brahmin chief, which has not gone down properly with the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP).

Then again, he’s taken a relatively softer stance in direction of deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, each Marathas. “Jarange is taking a political stand greater than a social stand. Although reservation is the crux of it, he’s concentrating on Fadnavis with none provocation,” mentioned political analyst Hemant Desai.

“Surprisingly, he has quite a lot of crowd behind him. And his return as soon as once more, simply forward of the native physique elections, may benefit Shinde, particularly in Marathwada and Vidarbha, the place his occasion has a base. However we have to see how this performs out on the bottom,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Bombay Excessive Courtroom denied him permission to march in direction of Mumbai, saying it could create a legislation and order state of affairs in the course of the 10-day Ganesh competition. It additionally cited the newly formulated Public Conferences, Agitations and Processions Guidelines, 2025, which require prior police permission.

Deputy CM Shinde instructed reporters in Thane Wednesday that although everybody has the suitable to protest in a democracy, legislation and order should be maintained in the course of the Ganesh competition. He additionally subtly hinted that it was below him, as chief minister, that the cupboard had permitted Maratha reservation.

“After I was the CM, our cupboard had given a ten p.c reservation to the Maratha group. I had taken the oath of Shivaji Maharaj, and it nonetheless holds true. Via the Justice Shinde committee, Backward Class Fee, another committee, no matter we might give, together with Kunbi certificates, we now have given to the group,” Shinde mentioned.

“Our solely request was that folks shouldn’t be inconvenienced in the course of the Ganesh competition and everybody ought to maintain it,” he added.

Jarange-Patil had appealed to the group that this could be the “ultimate agitation and everybody ought to come ahead and make it successful”.

In August 2023, Jarange-Patil started a starvation strike to demand reservations for Marathas below the OBC class in his village of  Antarwali Sarati in Jalna. On the time, Mahayuti 1.0 was in energy with Eknath Shinde on the helm.

Police, below the house minister and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, resorted to a lathi cost to disperse the protest.

Since then, Jarange-Patil has been accusing Fadnavis of making an attempt to interrupt his agitation and never giving reservations to Marathas.

In January 2024, he started a march in direction of Mumbai, however was placated at Navi Mumbai, the place Shinde promised to offer in to his calls for and type a committee below Justice Shinde to authenticate Kunbi certificates for Marathas.

His agitation acquired robust help in the course of the Lok Sabha elections, partly contributing to the Mahayuti’s lack of seven out of eight seats in Marathwada. Nonetheless, the agitation fizzled out in the course of the meeting elections when he backtracked on an earlier announcement to contest, citing lack of preparations.

Analysts mentioned Shinde stands to achieve essentially the most from Jarange-Patil’s agitation.

“It appears like Shinde can profit from Jarange-Patil. He additionally projected himself as a Maratha chief and continues to say how he was instrumental in bringing in reservations for Marathas. With Patil concentrating on Fadnavis and the chilly conflict between Shinde and Fadnavis, Shinde can leverage this throughout seat-sharing in native physique polls, particularly in Ch Sambhajinagar, and different elements of Marathwada,” mentioned Desai.

---

Additionally Learn: Studying ‘Modi’ script, mapping household timber — how Maharashtra’s scouring outdated data to establish Kunbis

---

Jarange targets Fadnavis

Tensions escalated when Jarange-Patil, who has been concentrating on Fadnavis, used derogatory language in opposition to Fadnavis’ mom at a public assembly Sunday in Beed.

The BJP was livid and occasion leaders like Nitesh Rane, Pravin Darekar and Chitra Wagh slammed Jarange-Patil. Rane issued a robust warning saying, “Jarange-Patil ought to thoughts his tongue, or else we are going to chop his tongue.”

Darekar additionally hit out at Jarange-Patil. “No person is questioning your protest morcha. However if you happen to use a protest morcha to focus on our CM and abuse him, we must react strongly,” he mentioned.

On Tuesday, Income Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule reminded Jarange-Patil that it was initially below the Devendra Fadnavis authorities, between 2014 and 2019, that the Marathas acquired reservation. However it was struck down by the Supreme Courtroom.

“I wish to say that Fadnavis ji has put every thing at stake for the Maratha reservation. If you will use abusive language, then we is not going to tolerate this. If you wish to protest, then do it, however no one will tolerate this language,” he mentioned.

Jarange-Patil apologised for his language, however continued to focus on Fadnavis.

“I’ve data that Fadnavis will not be letting Shinde work. It has been eight months since he turned CM, however nonetheless, nothing has progressed. Why? This implies he isn’t letting even Shinde work. He has not even let Ajit dada work. This proves he has not let Shinde and Ajit dada work,” he instructed the media on Monday.

Final week, the federal government determined to reconstitute a 12-member subcommittee with Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil as its head. Vikhe Patil is a longtime Maratha chief from Ahmednagar district.

“By making Vikhe Patil the top of the subcommittee, Fadnavis tried to regulate the state of affairs. Vikhe hails from Ahmednagar, which is subsequent to Jalna and Ch Sambhajinagar,” mentioned Desai.

The opposite ministers within the panel are Girish Mahajan, Ashish Shelar, Shivendraraje Bhosale, Uday Samant, Dada Bhuse, Shambhuraj Desai, Manikrao Kokate, Babasaheb Patil and Makrand Patil. A secretary from the overall administration division can be a member.

The subcommittee has determined to increase the tenure of the Justice Shinde committee by six months.

“I’ve requested Jarange-Patil to let the report of the Justice Shinde committee come and we are going to take a name then. We’ve got to do not forget that Fadnavis was the primary one to take a name relating to Maratha reservation. I nonetheless wish to request him that Jarange-Patil shouldn’t go forward with the agitation as a result of we’re optimistic,” mentioned Vikhe Patil.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)

---

Additionally Learn: Fragmented voting blocs now united by caste — how quota stir might break up OBC, Maratha votes

---