Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, on the 17th day of his hunger strike, made an emotional appeal to the community on Monday as he announced that he would begin a solo march towards Mumbai after stopping medical treatment and intravenous fluids.
Jarange Patil said his health was deteriorating rapidly and suggested that his journey could be his last interaction with people across Maharashtra.
“Today is the 17th day of my fast. Removing the IV saline has caused a burning sensation in my stomach again. I will be heading to Mumbai virtually alone, accompanied by just four or five associates,” he said at a press conference.
Saying that he was unable to stand, Jarange Patil appealed to supporters not to organise welcome ceremonies along the route. He said people could come to meet and bless him, but urged them not to join the march to Mumbai immediately.
“This could likely be our final meeting. Come to the roads to bless me, but do not march to Mumbai just yet. This may be my final goodbye to the Godavari belt and to Maharashtra,” he said.
Jarange Patil urged the Maratha community to remain firm in its demand for reservation, saying he was prepared to continue his struggle despite his deteriorating condition.
“Wherever my body falls, it falls. But Marathas must fight with such pride that future generations hold their heads high, saying that ‘he died but never backed down’,” he said.
He also alleged that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was pursuing a strategy to weaken the Maratha agitation. Jarange Patil claimed attempts were being made to create divisions and unrest before using police action against protesters.
He appealed to the community to support whichever political leadership secured reservation for Marathas, saying that political loyalties should not take precedence over the future of their children.
Jarange Patil said millions of working-class Marathas could mobilise and block Mumbai if necessary, while urging supporters to remain prepared for a larger movement.
He had briefly accepted medical assistance following appeals from the government and community members but said he had resumed refusing treatment after claiming that the Maharashtra government had not responded positively to his demands.
According to Jarange Patil, continuous IV fluids for seven to eight days had helped stabilise his blood sugar, blood pressure and oxygen levels. He said that after stopping saline and water, he experienced renewed burning sensations, extreme fatigue and weakness.
He said he would travel towards Mumbai without formal police permission and asked supporters to avoid garlands, shawls and physical contact due to concerns about infections and fluctuations in his blood pressure.
Instead, he urged supporters to establish simple roadside resting points along the route and avoid spending money travelling to meet him. He said resources and buses should instead be kept ready for a potential mass mobilisation in Mumbai.
Jarange Patil said his initial journey would be undertaken in five stages to test the authorities’ response. He questioned the basis on which he could be stopped if he was travelling without a large gathering.
“If they stop me now, crores of Marathas will march into Mumbai without permission,” he warned.
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