Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil has warned that his worsening physical condition could force him to stop his ongoing journey towards Mumbai.
Jarange Patil, who is on the 18th day of his indefinite hunger strike, made the statement while addressing supporters at Patoda in Beed district around 2 am on Wednesday. He had reached the location at around 1:30 am, where thousands of supporters, including women, had gathered despite the late hour.
Jarange asks supporters not to follow him
Jarange Patil said the large number of people travelling behind him was putting additional pressure on his already weak condition.
He appealed to supporters not to follow his vehicle in a large convoy after he leaves Patoda. He said that if the mobilisation continues, he may stop the journey and either resume his sit-in protest at Patoda or return to Antarwali Sarati.
Jarange had earlier said he wanted to travel towards Mumbai with only a limited number of people. His decision came amid repeated police refusals for a large protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan.
‘My body is giving out’
Speaking to the gathering, Jarange said his physical condition had deteriorated after he stopped taking IV fluids on September 12.
He said his body was struggling but maintained that he would continue fighting for the demands of the Maratha community.
Jarange also told his supporters that the movement had made progress, claiming that 58 lakh historical records had been identified. He said these records could help Maratha community members seek reservation benefits and stressed that obtaining the government gazette remained an important part of the current demand.
Attack on Maharashtra government
Jarange Patil also criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during his speech.
He alleged that there had been attempts to weaken his movement and claimed that documents related to the reservation issue had been secured on pen drives.
He further alleged that there was a conspiracy against his life. These are Jarange Patil’s allegations and have not been independently established.
The Maharashtra government, meanwhile, has maintained that several of the demands raised by Jarange have already been accepted and acted upon, while the remaining issues include matters pending before the courts.
Why is Jarange travelling to Mumbai?
Jarange Patil’s current agitation is focused on the long-running demand for reservation for the Maratha community, including the issuance of Kunbi certificates that would allow eligible Marathas to access benefits under the OBC category.
He had announced plans to take his protest to Mumbai. However, Mumbai Police have denied permission for the proposed indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan, citing issues including law and order and traffic management.
Despite the lack of permission, Jarange has continued his journey towards Mumbai.
Appeal to his family
During his speech at Patoda, Jarange also spoke about his family and the possibility of his health deteriorating further.
He said he had told his family to maintain their self-respect and urged his son to remain courageous if anything happened to him during the agitation.
Jarange also said he wanted to speak directly with the police and, if his health allowed, travel towards Mumbai without a large crowd accompanying him.
His latest warning has added uncertainty to his planned Mumbai protest as his hunger strike continues and his supporters remain mobilised along the route.
