Manoj Jarange calls off 20-day-old fast, gives three months’ ‘ultimatum’ to government

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday (September 17, 2026) called off his 20-day-old fast and warned the Maharashtra Government that he would take the protest to Mumbai if his demands over Maratha reservation were not considered in three months.

Mr. Jarange announced talks with a government delegation which included Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Dada Bhuse, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Suresh Dhas and senior officials, at Patoda in Beed district.

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The development came days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government won’t tolerate any intimidating tactics and questioned the timing of the agitation during the ongoing Ganesh festival.

During their meeting with Mr. Jarange in Patoda, where the activist had halted on the way to Mumbai, the delegation members informed him about the steps initiated by the state government for the Maratha quota.

Vikhe Patil suggested that Jarange should depute three representatives to monitor the progress of official work for considering his demands.

“It will take around three-four months to act on the Kolhapur and Satara gazette after a written comment is received from the advocate general,” the minister said, and urged Jarange to call off his hunger strike.

Mr. Jarange said he is firm on his demand for “official recognition” of historical administrative records like the Hyderabad Gazette, Satara Gazette, and Aundh Gazette so Marathas can prove Kunbi lineage and claim OBC reservation benefits.

“The government should give in writing that not a single ‘Kunbi’ record will be ignored. The chief minister should sign that paper,” he said.

Mr. Jarange said he will take his protest to Mumbai if the government reneges on the assurance given to him.

“If we are betrayed in the next three months, then we all will directly go to Mumbai along with our kids and women,” he said, and asked the over one lakh Marathas who had already gone to Mumbai to return to their homes.

Mr. Jarange, who set out from his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, was scheduled to reach Mumbai on September 19 after passing through Ahilyanagar, Pune and Khopoli in Raigad district.

Last year, Mr. Jarange’s hunger strike at Azad Maidan brought South Mumbai to a standstill as thousands of his supporters poured into the city.

That agitation was called off on September 2, 2025, after the government accepted six of his eight demands and initiated steps for Kunbi classification certificates.