By Savikalpa Thapa
Pune: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil reached the foothills of Shivneri Fort in Pune district on Thursday morning, marking a significant step in his march to Mumbai where he plans to launch an indefinite hunger strike for Maratha reservation.
Jarange set out a day earlier from his home village, Antarwali Sarathi in Jalna, covering over 400 kilometres with a large group of followers. The procession wound its way into Pune with supporters chanting slogans and waving saffron banners, underscoring the growing momentum of the campaign. At Shivneri, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the activist paid homage before addressing his supporters. He reiterated his demand that Marathas be granted 10 percent reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, insisting that the community’s Kunbi lineage gives them rightful access to the quota.
Local authorities were on high alert as Jarange’s convoy entered Pune. The Pimpri-Chinchwad police announced traffic diversions on busy routes such as the Talegaon-Chakan highway, Nashik-Phata, and Urse toll plaza, urging commuters to take alternative roads to avoid congestion. Despite these measures, large gatherings were reported along the route as people came out to express solidarity.
Jarange’s protest has already drawn a sharp response from the state. While the Mumbai Police granted permission for a one-day demonstration at Azad Maidan on August 29, they restricted participation to 5,000 people and imposed conditions to ensure public order. Calling the conditions imposed by authorities unacceptable, Jarange asserted that the movement could not be confined to just one day at Azad Maidan.
“We are not here for token gestures,” Jarange said. “Our demand is clear and final, reservation for the Maratha community under OBC. We will not step back until justice is delivered.”
Security has been tightened ahead of his arrival in Mumbai, with more than 1,500 police personnel and central forces deployed. Authorities fear that the protest could disrupt traffic and civic life in the city’s southern districts.
As the march edges closer to the financial capital, the confrontation between the government and Jarange’s supporters is set to intensify. For many in the Maratha community, his presence at Shivneri Fort carried symbolic weight, a reminder of their historic pride and a rallying cry for recognition in today’s political landscape.