Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil rests on the 16th day of his indefinite fast, at Antarwali Sarati village, in Jalna district, Maharashtra, on September 14, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Sunday (September 13, 2026) alleged a conspiracy to kill him and create trouble during his proposed ‘peaceful’ march to Mumbai to press for Maratha reservation, asserting that he will not succumb to pressure.

People associated with the ruling parties could be sent into the march to create chaos and target him, Mr. Jarange, whose hunger strike entered the 16th day on Sunday (September 13, 2026), claimed while addressing supporters and media persons at the protest site at Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra’s Jalna district.

“I will accept death, but I will not surrender,” he said, adding that the government still had eight days to resolve the issue before the proposed Mumbai agitation.

“We will have to respond when someone steps on the tail of a snake,” Mr. Jarange stated, warning that his supporters could politically challenge some Ministers.

Targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, he alleged that those in power were conspiring against him, and claimed there was a plan to create trouble during his proposed Maratha march to Mumbai.

Mr. Jarange on Saturday (September 12, 2026) announced that he and his supporters would set out for Mumbai on September 15 and start an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in the state capital from September 19 for Maratha quota in jobs and education.

The activist has called for the march during Ganpati festivities, to be held from September 14 to 25.

On Sunday (September 13, 2026), the activist claimed that some Maratha MLAs from the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena were calling his supporters and asking them not to participate in the march.

“There is a conspiracy to shoot me during the march. They do not want to kill Marathas, but want to target me,” he alleged. I will not surrender,” Mr. Jarange said.

He urged supporters not to join if they were afraid, but emotionally appealed that they should march to Mumbai — and, if necessary, even join his funeral procession.

Mr. Jarange said he would leave Antarwali Sarati for Mumbai on September 15. “I will reach Mumbai on September 19 and sit on a hunger strike at Azad Maidan at 10 am. We believe in the law and the judiciary,” he said.

Mr. Jarange said an application had been submitted seeking permission for the protest and that the government could impose conditions on the agitation.

“I am going to Mumbai. What is my mistake? Am I violating the law? If you want to impose conditions, impose them,” he said.

Mr. Jarange said he had earlier trusted Eknath Shinde and returned from Vashi in Navi Mumbai in January 2024 after a government resolution (GR) was issued over the Maratha quota demands.

“When we honoured Shinde, Marathas were dear to him. If Fadnavis accepts all our demands and wins the battle, what will happen to the others?” he asked.

Mr. Jarange also said he would not be intimidated by government inquiries against him or his associates.

“Even if inquiries are ordered, I will not surrender. I will accept death, but I will not surrender,” he said.

He also claimed that 58 lakh Kunbi records had been found and demanded that the government issue certificates to eligible Marathas.

Among Mr. Jarange’s main demands is that a Government Resolution (GR) be issued allowing Marathas to claim reservation available to the Kunbi community in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) segment on the back of old records and gazette documents. OBC groups have opposed it, claiming their share of benefits will be affected.

Mr. Jarange maintained that the proposed protest would be peaceful and democratic and appealed to Marathas to participate in the agitation.

He also said recent rains had brought relief to farmers after a difficult period and that agricultural work had largely been completed, making it possible for supporters to join the Mumbai agitation.

On Friday (September 11, 2026), the Bombay High Court refused to pass any urgent order on a petition seeking to stop Mr. Jarange’s fresh protest in the State capital. The court said every person has the right to protest and no restraining order can be issued merely on the apprehension of law and order trouble.

On August 29 last year, Mr. Jarange had launched an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to reiterate his demand for Maratha reservation. The agitation led to chaos in parts of the city, and it was called off after the government accepted some of his demands.

Published – September 13, 2026 04:55 pm IST

The petition sought directions regarding the “March to Mumbai” call given by Manoj Jarange Patil. File.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Pune:

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President, Sharad Pawar, today called upon the Maharashtra and Union governments to resolve the vexed Maratha quota issue, expressing full support to any initiative, including hiking the 50 per cent ceiling.

The senior Pawar urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the Maratha quota issue and said the Centre should work to scrap the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations.

“The judiciary has barred more than 50 per cent reservation in the country, but if there’s a problem then all parties in the state should come together and insist that the Centre remove it. The Centre has the power to change the ceiling limits. If that is done with the support of all parties, we shall fully back it,” declared Sharad Pawar.

The NCP(SP) supremo’s stance echoed the sentiments expressed last week by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally, Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who faced flak from the ruling Mahayuti partners.

Sharad Pawar pointed out how Tamil Nadu had given 76 per cent quota earlier, and after that the decision was taken to impose a 50 per cent ceiling on reservation. Sharad Pawar pointed out that now power vests only with the Centre.

Appealing to all political parties in the state to work together to defuse the strife created by the Maratha-OBC quotas, the NCP(SP) supremo said that the Chief Minister should invite the striking Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil.

Sharad Pawar added that OBC leaders should also be called for the all-party meeting, while the MVA would join as the Opposition.

Reacting to the suggestion, Chief Minister Shinde today said that he was in consultation with Sharad Pawar about ‘alternatives’ on the long-simmering quotas issue that has created a political upheaval in Maharashtra.

“All parties must ensure that the social environment is maintained in the state and there is no bitterness between the two communities (Marathas-OBCs) on the issue. If we don’t do it now, then it is impossible to predict what will happen,” said Sharad Pawar.

To a query whether Mr Jarange-Patil should contest the forthcoming Assembly elections on the Maratha cause, Sharad Pawar diplomatically ducked it, saying “in a democracy, everybody has the right to contest elections and seek votes”.

Mr Jarange-Patil has repeatedly threatened that if the government fails to grant the quotas and other demands as promised, then Marathas would not only work to defeat candidates of the Mahayuti and MVA, but also put up nominees in all the 288 Assembly seats and attempt to come to power.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Shivba Sanghatana chief Manoj Jarange-Patil, who embarked on a state tour to drum up support for the Maratha reservations cause, fell ill on Friday, following which he was rushed to a private hospital here.

Jarange-Patil is currently undergoing treatment at the Galaxy Hospital, where he had been earlier admitted on a couple of occasions, said an aide.

He is suffering from heat-related weakness and dehydration though his condition is reported to be stable, and he continues to be under medical supervision, the aide said.

The development came a day after Jarange-Patil announced that he would launch a fresh hunger strike from June 4 – the day of the announcement of Lok Sabha election results – at his native village Antarvali-Sarati in Jalna district.

Besides the fifth round of hunger strike, he said he would take out a massive rally from Beed district on June 8.

Jarange-Patil warned that Marathas would contest all the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections due in October in case the ruling MahaYuti government failed to concede all the pending demands of the Marathas.

These include implementation of the draft notification of January 2024 giving benefits of the reservations to the ‘sage-soyare’ (bloodline), issuing certificates to Marathas under the OBC category to enable them get quotas, and other demands.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

In a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange Patil today accused the BJP leader of hatching a plot to deny quota benefits to members of the community. Speaking to the media, Mr Patil today threatened to begin a march to Mr Fadnavis’ home.

“Fadnavis has taken a decision without taking (Chief Minister Eknath) Shinde in the loop. Everything is happening on his directions, he is running the state. Does Fadnavis want me to sacrifice myself? I wil march to his bungalow. Stop me if you can,” said Mr Patil, who hit headlines for his hunger strike in demand of reservation for Marathas.

The Maharashtra Assembly last week passed a resolution to provide quota benefits to the politically-influential community that accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the state’s population.

Mr Patil has, however, said the new law is not in line with their demand. “We need reservation which we deserve, give reservation under OBC category to those whose proof of being Kunbi has been found. For those who don’t have proof, pass a law of ‘Sage Soyare’,” Mr Patil said after the Bill cleared the Assembly. The quota agitation leader is demanding benefits for blood relations of members of the Kunbi sub-caste among Marathas. The Kunbis enjoy reservation within the OBC category.

During the agitation, Mr Patil had demanded that all members of Maratha community be considered Kunbi and given reservations under the OBC Quota, but the state government decided that only people with Nizam-era Kunbi certificates will get the benefits.

“Fadnavis is trying to create a rift within the Maratha community. Attempts are being made to finish big communities and give more prominence to smaller communities,” he alleged.

Mr Patil said he is not affiliated to any political party. “I am a farmer’s son. I will not spare Fadnavis. Attempts are being made to finish off the Maratha community and defame me. Fadnavis will be wiped off. I will ensure that relatives (of Marathas) get quota benefits,” he said.

The legislation brought by the Eknath Shinde government is the third attempt in a decade to provide reservation benefits to the Maratha community. The earlier two attempts during the tenure of Congress’s Prithviraj Chavan and Mr Fadnavis were struck down by courts.

A key factor behind the setbacks to the earlier laws was the fact that it took the quantum of total reservation past the 50 per cent ceiling fixed by the Supreme Court.

The Opposition has warned that the legislation may not eventually clear the judicial test.

Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has said it is similar to the one brought by the Devendra Fadnavis government. “We need to see what happens to the fresh bill in the Supreme Court,” he has said. State Congress chief Nana Patole has slammed the BJP for bringing the law just before the elections. “These types of laws were brought two times, but they were scrapped and put in a bin in the Supreme Court. In 2019, they did for the winning elections and now also they did for the elections. They want to take the credit for this. This will not work because it is done only for the election to get the votes of the Maratha community,” the Congress leader has said.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has welcomed the legislation but added that “nothing can be said” till it is implemented. Taking a swipe at his estranged lieutenant Eknath Shinde, Mr Thackeray said, “Everyone knows the history of CM (Shinde). Therefore, till the time whatever he has said is implemented, nothing can be said.”