A fresh phase of the Maratha reservation agitation has been announced by activist Manoj Jarange, with an indefinite hunger strike scheduled to begin at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on September 19. The protest has been planned to press the Maharashtra government over the demand for reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education.
The march towards Mumbai will be started on September 15 from Antarwali Sarati. According to the route announced by Jarange, protesters will halt at Patoda in Beed district on September 15, Srigonda in Ahilyanagar district the following day, Hadapsar in Pune district on September 17 and Khopoli in Raigad district on September 18. They will then camp at Khoparkhairane in Navi Mumbai before proceeding to Mumbai. Around 100 kilometres are expected to be covered each day. The indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan is scheduled to begin at 10 am on September 19. The agitation will coincide with the Ganpati festivities, being held from September 14 to 25, when Mumbai is expected to witness heavy movement of devotees and visitors.
Supporters have been instructed by Jarange to ensure that the agitation remains peaceful. Stone-pelting, arson and damage to property have been strongly discouraged, while protesters have been asked to follow the prescribed code of conduct and avoid confrontations with police. An appeal has also been made to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not to create hurdles for protesters travelling to Mumbai. Jarange said that if police barricades were used to stop the march, supporters should remain peaceful and avoid touching the barricades. Alternative routes could instead be taken to reach the agitation venue, he suggested.
The latest mobilisation has been centred on the demand for implementation of measures linked to old gazette documents and around 58 lakh Kunbi records. The state government has been accused by Jarange of failing to adequately issue caste certificates based on these records. Among his key demands is a Government Resolution that would allow eligible Marathas to claim reservation benefits available to the Kunbi community under the Other Backward Classes category. The proposal has been strongly opposed by OBC groups, which have expressed concerns that their existing share of reservation benefits could be affected. Jarange had previously staged a hunger strike in Mumbai in August-September last year, when parts of the city, including areas around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, were disrupted.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Friday declined to urgently restrain the fresh agitation. It was observed that every person has the right to protest and that restrictions could not be imposed merely on apprehensions of possible law-and-order problems.
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