Maharashtra will shut down within 10 minutes if Maratha protesters are harmed: Manoj Jarange Patil

As Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s indefinite hunger strike enters its 10th day on Monday (September 7, 2026), he called for a mass gathering in Maharashtra’s Jalna district in September, warning of a Statewide shutdown if peaceful protestors face police action. 

“All Maratha community members should come to Antarwali Sarti village for meeting,” said Mr. Jarange Patil, adding if police shed even one ounce of blood of protester, Maharashtra to be shut within 10 minutes. 

He appealed to female members of the community to treat all the sons and daughters of the Maratha community as their own and act accordingly, while asked the entire community not to act aggressively towards police and protest silently. 

Mr. Jarange Patil commenced a protest for the 11th time on August 29, demanding to issue reservation for Marathas. This time, the focus is on the issuance and validation of reservation certificates to Marathas under the Kunbi category. He has claimed that the Satara District Gazetteer and the Hyderabad Gazette have 58 lakh records that link Marathas with Kunbis genealogically and alleged that the government has conspired to cancel the issuance of Maratha caste certificates. Since day one of the strike, he announced that weather to march to Mumbai will be decided on September 12. 

“Whatever date is decided on September 12, the Maratha community should march to Mumbai like breeze,” he added. 

Online updation of records

Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday stated that the complete 58 lakh entries for caste certificates will be displayed in gram panchayats and made available online from September 10 to 17

“All the recorded found by Justice Shinde Committee will be displayed in gram panchayats and camps will be held to complete the documentation,” said Mr. Vikhe Patil during review meeting. He heads the state government’s Maratha reservation sub-committee. He added, “3.5 lakhs certificates are already distributed. The law will be followed while issuing certificates to eligible beneficiaries.”

Internal conflicts 

Mr. Jarange Patil alleged that Mahayuti ministers are using tensions concerning Maratha reservation to finish each other internally. This means Eknath Shinde-led Sena’s ministers are likely to use any form of police action against protestors directed by the government to defame Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “Mr. Fadnavis is Home Minister, so any action from the police will be his responsibility, while BJP ministers are likely to attempt same to defame Eknath Shinde,” said Mr. Jarange Patil. 

He has staged a protest in Jalna’s Antarwali Sarati village. Several delegations, including Jalna District Collector Ashima Mittal, have visited him and urged him to end his fast. Meanwhile, the Maratha community across the state in several Maratha-dominated districts staged a rasta roko (road blockade) blocking major state and national highways.

“These demands are for the larger benefit of the community, so it needs to be fulfilled. The bureaucrats and ministers are just visiting him. It has been a year since they came to Mumbai. If the demands are not fulfilled, then the emotions of people can explode. The government has been purposefully negligent due to someone’s pressure,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve during his visit to Mr. Jarange Patil in Antarwali Sarti on Monday.