Maratha protesters will head to Mumbai, says Jarange Patil

Manoj Jarange Patil, a prominent Maratha activist, told reporters that his supporters will head to Mumbai, with the specific date to be announced on September 12 after a rally at Antarwali Sarathi in Jalna district. The declaration came as his indefinite hunger strike entered its 13th day on Thursday, September 10, 2026, and follows calls for the government to issue reservation certificates based on Kunbi entries recorded in the Hyderabad and Satara Gazette.

State officials responded to the agitation, with Mahayuti minister Uday Samant saying the government is taking steps to resolve the issue before September 12, while Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule highlighted the establishment of camps to facilitate the issuance of the certificates under OBC reservation SOPs. Both ministers emphasized that the camps are intended to address the community’s demands rather than to cancel previously issued certificates.

The protest stems from a long‑standing dispute over Maratha reservation, where the community seeks validation of certificates that were allegedly cancelled despite being listed in official gazette records. Jarange Patil has also accused Maratha quota sub‑committee chairman Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil of betrayal and criticized DCM Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat for shifting positions. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut further alleged that the government is using the agitation for political gain, underscoring the heightened political tension surrounding the reservation issue.