Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange initiated a hunger strike in Mumbai, declaring it a ‘final fight’ for reservation in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category by the Maharashtra Government. He vowed to continue his agitation, threatening to cease water intake if demands are not met. Jarange stated his readiness for sacrifice, asserting that he would not leave Mumbai until Marathas are granted reservation, warning of an influx of supporters if the quota demand is not quickly conceded.

Mumbai police initially granted permission for peaceful protests at Azad Maidan, later extending Jarange’s hunger strike permit for a day. Thousands of supporters, adorned in saffron, gathered at Azad Maidan to back Jarange Patil, who commenced his march from Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district. The gathering led to significant traffic congestion at CSMT, prompting Central Railway to advise essential travel only. Jarange criticized the government for the one-day extension, urging them to announce reservations instead of playing games to win the hearts of Marathas.

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas met Jarange at Azad Maidan, promising to discuss the matter with the Chief Minister for a solution. Jarange’s core demand is that all Marathas be recognized as Kunbis, an agrarian caste already in the OBC category, which would qualify them for reservation in government jobs and education. He accused the government of attempting to divide Marathas and OBCs, stating, “We have never said that you should reduce the OBC quota and give it to us. We are asking for what is our right. This is our final fight.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis affirmed the state government’s commitment to Maratha socio-economic upliftment but stressed that it would not succumb to political pressure for unreasonable demands that could prejudice OBCs. He assured that the government is seeking a constitutionally valid solution. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticized the government for allegedly deceiving the Maratha community in the past, urging immediate dialogue with Jarange.

On Sunday, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule faced the ire of Maratha protestors during her visit to Azad Maidan. Her vehicle was reportedly attacked by demonstrators who accused Sharad Pawar of neglecting Maratha concerns. Sule subsequently called for a special session of the Maharashtra Assembly to address the reservation issue. BJP MLC Praveen Darekar attributed the protestors’ anger to Sharad Pawar’s perceived inaction on Maratha quota during his past governmental tenures. Chief Minister Fadnavis condemned the incident, emphasizing that leaders visiting protest sites should be treated with dignity and that acts of aggression are unacceptable.

Jarange intensified his warning on Sunday, declaring that if Marathas are not granted OBC reservation, community members from across Maharashtra would join the protest by the next weekend. He announced his intention to refuse water starting Monday. He also warned that if Marathas withdraw support from the Mahayuti alliance, not even a gram panchayat member from their alliance would be elected, citing deep-seated resentment that could lead to their defeat in local elections. Jarange reiterated his demand for universal Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, stating, “Nobody can stop us from getting the OBC quota.”

Meanwhile, senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who chairs a cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, convened a meeting with Maharashtra’s Advocate General Biren Saraf, retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde, and other committee members. The discussion focused on the legal applicability of the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers—historical documents that could potentially support the classification of Marathas as Kunbis—to meet the community’s demand. Vikhe-Patil reported that the Advocate General and Justice Shinde requested more time to study the gazetteers. He acknowledged a Supreme Court observation that Marathas and Kunbis are not identical, noting that the government cannot override this but remains open to discussions to find a solution.