Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange recently intensified his agitation, issuing a stern warning to the Maharashtra government regarding the demand for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange, who staged an indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, insisted that if the Maratha community was not granted reservation, members from across Maharashtra would join the protest by the following weekend. He further escalated his agitation by refusing to consume water, beginning on Monday, as the deadlock showed no signs of resolution.

Jarange's core demand centered on the immediate issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas, which would make them eligible for OBC reservation benefits. He accused the Mahayuti government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, of ignoring the community's demands and asserted his unwillingness to grant them additional time. Jarange warned of severe political repercussions, stating, “If Marathas withdraw support from the Mahayuti, not even a gram panchayat member from their alliance will get elected,” emphasizing the community's significant influence in upcoming village and municipal elections.

In response to the escalating protests, a cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, headed by senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, convened a crucial meeting. The discussions involved Maharashtra’s Advocate General Biren Saraf, retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde, and other committee members, focusing on the legal feasibility of implementing historical documents like the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers to support the classification of Marathas as Kunbis. Vikhe-Patil acknowledged the complexities, noting a Supreme Court observation that Marathas and Kunbis are not identical, and requested more time to study the matter further, though remaining open to finding a solution.

Amidst the ongoing protest, the Bombay High Court strongly criticized the Maharashtra government for its failure to manage the situation at Azad Maidan, where thousands of Jarange's supporters had gathered, causing significant public inconvenience by blocking roads and railway stations in Mumbai. A bench of Acting Chief Justice S.V. Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe questioned the State's reliance on Jarange’s influence to disperse crowds, instead of enforcing court orders to vacate the protest site forcefully. The court expressed displeasure over the widespread disruption and warned of taking action against the government for non-compliance, also indicating that Jarange could be held responsible for instigating crowds beyond permitted limits. Following the court's ultimatum, Jarange appealed to his supporters to respect the order, leading to many clearing roads and the CSMT railway station.

Ultimately, the agitation culminated in a significant breakthrough. Manoj Jarange ended his five-day fast after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including the crucial step of granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates. This decision was met with widespread jubilation, particularly in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, which has served as the movement's epicenter for the past two years. Supporters celebrated this