Jalna, August 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Thursday announced an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati from August 29, warning the Maharashtra government that any attempt to obstruct the agitation could trigger a massive mobilisation towards Mumbai.
Addressing the media at Antarwali Sarati, Jarange Patil said the Maratha community would respond strongly if the government tried to prevent the protest or acted against its demands.
“On my single call, nearly 40 to 45 lakh vehicles will head toward Mumbai from across the state. We will conduct this protest in five distinct phases, culminating in six crore members of the Maratha community arriving in Mumbai. If the government dares to stop us out of malice, we will show them what we can do,” he said.
Targeting Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Jarange Patil said he was not concerned about which political leaders possessed or lacked caste certificates. He alleged that leaders across political parties were biased against the Maratha community and claimed the issue had exposed their intentions to Marathas across the political spectrum.
He also criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying the hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati would begin peacefully but warning that he could march to Fadnavis’ official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai.
“Fadnavis is trying to block Marathas using other Marathas. Is Varsha anyone’s private property? It belongs to all of us. I won’t cause inconvenience inside his room, but I will certainly pitch camp on the bungalow premises,” he said.
Earlier this week, Jarange Patil held discussions with a delegation of Maharashtra government ministers. During the meeting, Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil facilitated a telephone conversation between Jarange Patil and officials of the Justice Shinde Committee.
Jarange Patil pressed for greater transparency regarding records linked to Kunbi certificates. He claimed that 58 lakh Kunbi records had been identified over the past three years, including two lakh newly discovered entries, and demanded that the complete list be displayed at Talathi and Gram Sevak offices in villages across the state.
He also urged ministers to bring relevant officials to future discussions and demanded that the process for issuing caste certificates be explained to the Maratha community in simple terms.
The latest warning comes ahead of Jarange Patil’s proposed August 29 hunger strike, as pressure mounts on the Maharashtra government over the long-standing Maratha reservation demand.
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