Mumbai: Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Tuesday turned his protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan into a battle of defiance, declaring that he and his supporters would not leave the city until every single demand was fulfilled — even if it meant sacrificing his life.
On the fifth day of his indefinite hunger strike, Jarange sharpened his attack on the state government, warning Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directly. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of all cases filed against Maratha protesters across Maharashtra, dismissal of police officers accused of brutality, and criminal action against them.
Addressing the crowd, Jarange thundered, “I tell the government and Fadnavis that we will not leave Mumbai until all our demands are implemented. Withdraw all cases, dismiss the policemen who attacked us, and file cases against them. Devendra Fadnavis should not even think of using the police for a lathi-charge against our boys. Otherwise, we will show Fadnavis what Marathas are.”
His fiery remarks came just hours after the Mumbai Police issued a notice to him and his committee, ordering them to vacate Azad Maidan immediately for violating court and police conditions. Authorities accused Jarange of provoking crowds and overstaying the one-day permission that had been granted for 5,000 people. Instead, the sit-in has swelled for days, bringing Mumbai to a standstill during the peak of Ganeshotsav.
The Bombay High Court, which came down heavily on the agitation on Monday, called the protest “unlawful and disruptive,” warning that fundamental rights cannot paralyse an entire city. The court reminded organisers that humanitarian aid must not be blocked — food, water, and urgent medical care for Jarange were to continue uninterrupted.
Jarange, fasting since August 29, has reignited the state’s most volatile demand — 10 per cent reservation for Marathas under the OBC category.
