Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Friday (August 29, 2025) began his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, accusing the Maharashtra government of “non-cooperation” on the Maratha quota issue.
Arriving at the protest venue around 9.45 a.m. with thousands of supporters, Mr. Jarange declared that he would “not back down” until the state granted the community its rightful reservation.
“I am prepared to sacrifice my life, but this time, we will not leave Mumbai without justice. They can shoot me or put me in jail, but I won’t leave Mumbai unless our demands are heard and met,” he said.
He added that the government’s unwillingness to act had forced the community to escalate its agitation to the state capital. Thousands of supporters on board trucks have come to Mumbai, fully prepared with their stay arrangement such as bed, clothes, kitchen items to cook food.
The activist has appealed to the administration for permission to hold demonstrations, saying, “If the government refuses, we will seek relief from the courts.”
Maratha quota protesters outside CSMT station in Mumbai, Maharashtra on Friday (August 29, 2025).
| Photo Credit:
Emmanual Yogini
Addressing the crowd, Mr. Jarange urged his supporters to maintain calm and avoid any actions that could harm the Maratha community’s image.
“Cooperate with the police and do not inconvenience Mumbaikars,” he said. “Do not indulge in stone-pelting, arson, or anything that could bring disrepute to our cause. Our fight must remain peaceful.”
He also instructed participants to stay in Vashi overnight and join the protests at Azad Maidan only during the day, urging those not essential to the agitation to return to their villages in the evening.
Mumbai Police have granted limited permission for a peaceful protest between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on August 29. After 6 p.m., protesters have been instructed to vacate the venue.
Authorities have capped the number of participants at 5,000 and restricted entry to five vehicles carrying protesters. To manage the expected crowd, more than 1,500 Mumbai police personnel have been deployed around Azad Maidan, CSMT, and adjoining areas.
Police officials estimate that nearly 40,000 supporters may pour into Mumbai during the day. Parking arrangements for two-wheelers and small vehicles have been provided in the BPT area of South Mumbai, while heavy vehicles have been banned in key pockets until further notice.
Commuters faced severe disruptions on Friday morning as Maratha protesters made their way to Azad Maidan. Several arterial roads, especially those leading to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), witnessed massive traffic snarls.
Bus services were heavily affected, with BEST buses stuck in long jams around CSMT during peak office hours. Thousands of daily commuters heading to Nariman Point, Fort, Kalbadevi, and Crawford Market struggled to reach their workplaces on time.
Mr. Jarange has been firm on his demand that all Marathas be classified as Kunbis, an agrarian caste listed under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. This inclusion would make the community eligible for 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions.
The agitation has reignited a political slugfest in Maharashtra. BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye accused the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and the Congress—of “betraying the Maratha community” by ignoring their demands during their tenure in power.
Mr. Upadhye said, “Pawar, Thackeray, and Congress deliberately failed the Marathas. Even today, when Jarange is demanding quota without disturbing the OBC reservation, they remain silent.”
He further highlighted the BJP-led government’s past efforts under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which included, granting a 10% reservation for Marathas (later struck down by the Supreme Court); extending the Shinde Committee’s tenure for better quota implementation; providing jobs to kin of protesters who lost their lives; disbursing ₹8,320 crore through the Annasaheb Patil Finance Corporation to nearly 1 lakh entrepreneurs and allocating ₹9,262 crore under the Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj fee reimbursement scheme, benefiting over 17.5 lakh students
Mr. Jarange’s current march began from Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, over 400 km from Mumbai, on Wednesday. Supported by hundreds of vehicles and thousands of followers, his convoy was given a grand welcome at Vashi before entering Mumbai.
The Jalna police had earlier allowed Mr. Jarange’s procession under 40 strict conditions, including avoiding law-and-order issues, preventing traffic disruptions, and refraining from raising provocative slogans.
Published – August 29, 2025 09:02 am IST
