Maratha Stir

Jarange confident about Marathas getting quota, OBC leaders unhappy

Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday said the Maratha community in Marathwada and western Maharashtra will now get reservation, even as OBC leaders expressed unhappiness over the government's decision and warned of agitation. Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is a prominent leader from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), skipped the state cabinet meeting, indicating all was not well. We have scored a victory, and the credit goes to the Maratha community. Maratha people from Marathwada and western Maharashtra will now get quota, Jarange told reporters from a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, appealing to his supporters to maintain calm and have faith in his decision. The 43-year-old activist, who returned from Mumbai after ending his hunger strike, is receiving medical care in a private hospital here for dehydration and low blood sugar. Not a single line had been written by the state government in our favour till now. People should not believe in the joker-type' individual

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange hospitalised a day after ending fast

A day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his fast, doctors attend to him in a hospital here on Wednesday said he had dehydration and low blood sugar, and was being administered intravenous (IV) fluids. Jarange, who began his hunger strike in Mumbai on August 29, called off the protest on Tuesday afternoon after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to OBCs. The 43-year-old activist accepted a glass of fruit juice offered by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan, the site of his agitation, marking the end of his fast. Jarange, who hails from Jalna district in the Marathwada region, later left the venue in an ambulance for a medical check-up. He was then shifted to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he receive

Jarange ends hunger strike as Maharashtra govt accepts Maratha quota demand

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange said the Maharashtra government agreed to implement the Hyderabad Gazette granting OBC status to Marathas and withdraw protest cases

Maratha quota protest: Mumbai police ask Jarange to vacate Azad Maidan

Mumbai Police on Tuesday issued a notice to activist Manoj Jarange and his team, asking them to vacate Azad Maidan at the earliest, as his hunger strike over the Maratha quota demand entered its fifth day, officials said. Though permission was granted earlier for a gathering of 5,000 protesters at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, more than 40,000 agitators arrived from various parts of Maharashtra, the police said in the notice. The protesters blocked roads in south Mumbai over the last few days by gathering in large numbers and also parked more than 5,000 vehicles on roads connecting to the Azad Maidan and nearby areas, which led to heavy traffic congestion, they said. The protesters cooked food on roads, took bath, danced and played cricket in the public areas, violating the conditions laid down earlier for the quota agitation, the police noted. Civic personnel on Monday night washed the square outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), located just a few metres away from A

HC to hold special hearing on plea against Maratha quota protest in Mumbai

The Bombay High Court on Monday agreed to have a special hearing on a petition filed against the ongoing agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange demanding reservation for the Maratha community. The high court has been on holiday since August 27 for the Ganesh festival, and is to resume on Tuesday. A special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad, however, agreed to have a special hearing this afternoon on a petition filed by the Amy Foundation against the quota protest. Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai since August 29, seeking a 10 per cent quota for the Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Thousands have gathered in the city in support of the activist, crowding at major junctions in the business district. The petitioner had filed a plea in the high court last week against the protest. On August 26, the high court stated that public places cannot be occupied for an indefinite period, and protests can

Maratha quota stir: Protesters crowd CSMT, disrupt traffic in south Mumbai

Hundreds of Maratha community members seeking quota gathered at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and other areas in south Mumbai on Monday, causing traffic congestion and inconvenience to commuters. A large number of protesters was seen dancing and raising slogans in support of the quota demand at CSMT, leading to overcrowding at the railway station, located near Azad Maidan where activist Manoj Jarange is staging a hunger strike for reservation from Friday. Scores of agitators also gathered on the road heading towards Mahapalika Marg, J J Marg and D N Road, bringing traffic to a standstill for sometime. There was heavy police deployment in the Azad Maidan area, but the protesters were seen not following the security personnel's instructions. Some groups of protesters tried to enter the Bombay Stock Exchange building premises, but security officials did not allow them. The protesters then raised slogans, like "Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha" and "Aarakshan Aamcha Hakka Che"

Maratha quota: Protest enters second day as Jarange continues fast

Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange continued his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai's historic Azad Maidan on the second day, declaring he would not budge until the community's demands were fulfilled. Jarange and his supporters battled mud on the ground due to overnight rains and bemoaned the lack of basic amenities, including a paucity of water in toilets. Jarange is demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis under OBC for job and education reservations. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the state government is positive about resolving the issues of the Marathas, if they are social and financial in nature and not related to political reservation. Fadnavis has said the cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community was discussing Jarange's demands and will find a solution within the constitutional framework. The 43-year-old activist has warned that he will stop taking water in the next two days, and more Marathas

Manoj Jarange reaches Mumbai ahead of Maratha quota protest at Azad maidan

Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange reached Mumbai Friday morning, hours ahead of his protest at Azad Maidan in the city. Accompanied by hundreds of vehicles, Jarange, who began his march from his village in Jalna district on Wednesday, was welcomed at Vashi by supporters as he entered Mumbai. Thousands of his supporters have already reached Mumbai. Jarange left along with his supporters from Antarwali Sarati village, located over 400 km from Mumbai, to launch a fresh hunger strike. The 43-year-old has been demanding a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange has said his supporters would protest peacefully and not disrupt the ongoing Ganesh festival. He has been demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. The Jalna police allowed Jarange and his supporters to proceed with their march ...

Maratha quota protest: Maha govt delegation to meet Jarange at Shivneri

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday stepped up its efforts to reach out to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, lining up a ministerial delegation to meet him at Shivneri. Jarange set out for Mumbai in the morning as he remained firm on launching his agitation from August 29 in the Maharashtra capital. The activist told reporters that he had received a phone call from cabinet sub-committee head and state minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil informing him that a government team would reach Shivneri in Pune district for discussions. The delegation sent by Vikhe Patil will be coming to Shivneri. The government has shown willingness to hold discussions, but our stand on the Mumbai agitation remains unchanged, Jarange told reporters. Meanwhile, Vikhe Patil said the cabinet sub-committee, which held its first meeting on Monday, had deliberated on Jarange's demands concerning extending reservation benefits to close relatives of the Maratha community. He added that the Shinde committee

Activist Jarange launches fresh indefinite hunger strike for Maratha quota

Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday launched a fresh indefinite hunger strike, his seventh in the last 16 months, demanding reservation for Marathas under the OBC quota. In addition to his quota demand, Jarange has sought capital punishment for the accused involved in murdering sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Jarange has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members for granting reservation to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured, and killed on December 9, 2024. Police have so far arrested seven persons. Speaking to reporters in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange expressed hope that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would address the Maratha community's demands, including their inclusion under the OBC category and justice for Deshmukh. "The Maratha community .

Did not endorse anybody so how can my factor fail, asks Jarange Patil

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday refuted talk of his stir not being a factor in the Maharashtra assembly polls, which were swept by the Mahayuti comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. The Mahayuti won 40 out of 46 seats in Marathwada region, including all five in Jalna, the epicentre of Jarange's stir for quota for the Maratha community in jobs and education. The ruling alliance's poor show in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year was largely credited to Jarange's opposition, especially his strident remarks against Deputy Chief Minister and BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis. "How can one say the Jarange factor failed in the assembly polls when I did not contest nor did I endorse anybody? I liberated the Maratha community from the clutches of these political parties. The community was free to vote as per its choice. My focus is on empowering the Marathas," he said putting up a brave front. Expressing satisfaction at the results, he pointed out that 204 Marathas were ...

NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil confronted by Maratha quota activists

A group of Maratha quota activists confronted NCP (SP) Maharashtra unit chief Jayant Patil and sought the party's stand on the issue of reservations for the community. The incident took place during the Sharad Pawar-led party's 'Shivrajya Yatra' in Badnapur here on Sunday. Patil was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Amol Kolhe and MLA Rajesh Tope. The activists wanted Patil to make a statement on the party's stand on granting reservations to Marathas in jobs and education. The NCP (SP) leader experienced a similar episode in Ghanswanghi, which is just a few kilometres away from Antarwali Sarati, the epicentre of the Maratha quota stir being led by activist Manoj Jarange. In Bhokardan, during an event associated with the yatra, several people indulged in sloganeering, leading to Patil not delivering his speech, eye witnesses said. Patil ended the event by saying Tope had spoken well so there was no need for him to add anything more. He also admonished the crowd for indiscipline, and ...

Marathas won't get quota, Maharashtra govt only listening to OBCs: Jarange

It is "almost clear now" the Maharashtra government will not give reservations to the Maratha community as it is only listening to the OBC groups, activist Manoj Jarange alleged on Friday. Speaking to reporters in his native Antarwali Sarati in Jalna, some 60 kilometres from here, he said the Eknath Shinde government is disrespecting the Maratha community. "The state government is listening to and giving time to only Other Backward Classes leaders. The Maratha community is disrespected. It is almost clear now the Maratha community will not be given reservation by the Maharashtra government. Therefore, we need to remove them (government)," Jarange claimed. Talking about upcoming assembly polls, he said a decision on fielding candidates will be taken after August 29. "I think there should be no alliance as such and we can think of fielding independent candidates. We will think about the social equations of the candidates," he said. In case poll "equations" are not favourable, then .

BJP MLAs slam Oppn for boycotting all-party meet on Maratha quota

Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday as BJP members criticised the opposition for boycotting the all-party meeting called by the government on the Maratha reservation issue the previous day. Amid slogan-shouting by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members and noisy scenes, the House was adjourned three times. Raising the issue in the Lower House, Ameet Satam (BJP) accused the opposition of playing politics over the quota issue. He asked the opposition to clarify its stand on the demand that Marathas be given reservation from the OBC (Other Backward Classes) quota. "The opposition only wants to create a rift between the two communities," he charged. Ashish Shelar (BJP) claimed the opposition backtracked at the last minute from attending the all-party meeting. Members of the treasury benches trooped into the well of the House, slamming the opposition. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar accused the government of creating a social divide and .

Govt trying to create rift between Maratha, OBC communities, says Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange on Friday accused the Maharashtra government of trying to create tension between the Maratha and OBC communities, vowing that he won't let it happen. The 41-year-old activist was speaking to the Marathi news channel ABP Maza after his discharge from a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. He said there are 8-9 people in the government who have "hatred" for the Maratha community and their names will reach the public domain at the right time. The government is thrusting new leaders to the fore and moving others aside to create a rift between the Maratha and OBC communities, he said, stressing that those protesting over their demand for non-dilution of the OBC quota are not at fault. OBC activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmre have been fasting in the Jalna district since June 13 demanding that the government scrap the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as sage soyare (blood relatives) of Maratha community members. The agrarian Kunbi community enjoys O

Maha ministers meet OBC activists on behalf of govt, urge them to end fast

Three Maharashtra ministers and a member of the legislative council on Friday met OBC activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare and urged them to end their fast, which entered the ninth day. The delegation comprising ministers Atul Save, Uday Samant and Girish Mahajan, and MLC Gopichand Padalkar met the activists at the protest site at Wadigodri village in Jalna district. Newly-elected Shiv Sena MP Sandipan Bhumre was also present. Mahajan also called up Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis from the stage and made them talk to the protesting activists. Later, Padalkar said a meeting between a delegation of the OBC (Other Backward Classes) community and the government has been organised in Mumbai. Mahajan said five OBC leaders named by Hake will attend the meeting at 5 pm. A way can be worked out only after talks. The government will not let injustice happen to anyone, he said. However, Hake and Waghmare, who have been fasting since June 13, refused to hal

Marathas cannot get OBC quota, says Bhujbal, demands caste census

Veteran OBC leader and Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has reiterated that the Marathas cannot be given reservation from the quota for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. Talking to reporters on Monday, the state's food and civil supplies minister also renewed his demand for a caste census in the state. Bhujbal's statement has come amid the stir by quota activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare, who have been on hunger strike for the last six days. On Monday, a government delegation met Hake and Waghmare, urging them to end their fast, but they refused. The agitators said they are not against the reservation for Marathas, but it should not disturb the OBC quota. Bhujbal said, "The Maratha community cannot be given reservation from the OBC quota. We are not saying this, but the past four commissions (on reservation) have stated the same. Even the Supreme Court said no to it." Now there is again a demand for reservation from the OBC (quota), he said, referring to the

OBC leaders should seek quota for Dhangar community: Manoj Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday said the OBC leaders should focus on seeking reservation for the Dhangar community under the ST category instead of criticising the demand for Maratha quota. Speaking to reporters here, Jarange said the OBC leaders are "not our enemies" and Marathas would support the demand for reservation to the Dhangar (shepherd) community under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. On June 13, Jarange suspended his indefinite fast over the Maratha quota, six days after launching it, and set a deadline of one month before the Maharashtra government to accept the community's demands. He made the announcement after Maharashtra minister and member of Maratha quota sub-committee Shambhuraj Desai and Shiv Sena MP Sandipan Bhumare met him at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district and discussed the issue. Some leaders from the Other Backward Classes have opposed the Maratha quota under the OBC category. In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature ...

Cong to face consequences in state poll for opposing Marathas: Jarange

Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday claimed the Congress was speaking against the interests of the Maratha community and would face consequences in the Maharashtra assembly polls due later this year. Speaking to reporters on the third day of his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna, Jarange reiterated his demand for implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as "sage soyare" (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and sought a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas. Newly-elected Congress MP from Jalna, Kalyan Kale, visited the village and met Jarange on Monday. Kunbi, an agrarian group, falls under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, and Jarange has been demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to all Marathas, thus making them eligible for quota benefits. In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separat

Marathas assaulted for not voting BJP in Beed, claims activist Jarange

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday urged Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against certain people who were attacking Marathas for not voting for the BJP candidate in Beed in the Lok Sabha election. Speaking to reporters on the second day of his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarathi village, Jarange claimed that Marathas in some villages in Beed district were being assaulted for not voting for BJP's Pankaja Munde, who lost to NCP (SP) candidate Bajrang Sonawane in the recently held polls. He appealed to the home minister and Beed superintendent of police to take action against such violence and urged Maratha youth to maintain peace and communal harmony. The activist said leaders opposing Maratha interests would face consequences in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. Jarange launched an indefinite fast on Saturday, demanding implementation of the draft notification that recognises as Kunbis all blood relatives of Maratha community members a