On 17th September (Thursday), Manoj Jarange Patil, Maratha reservation activist, ended his 20-day hunger strike and offered the Maharashtra government three months to take his demand into consideration. The decision followed after he met with a government delegation in Patoda of Beed district.
The delegation was headed by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and included his ministerial colleague Dada Bhuse, MLC Prasad Lad, MLA Suresh Dhas and other senior officials. Patil is in charge of the State Cabinet Subcommittee on Maratha reservation. They assured that action would be taken on his demands within three months. The two sides also talked through a video conference before the meeting in Patoda.
The 44-year-old commenced his hunger strike on 29th August. “I have ended the hunger strike and will resume it if the government does not fulfil its promise. If we are betrayed in the next three months, then we all will directly go to Mumbai along with our kids and women,” he warned and also addressed a large audience in Patoda at around two in the morning. He also instructed his supporters who had gathered for his Mumbai march to return home.
VIDEO | Beed: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange calls off his 20 day old fast.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 17, 2026
He warns the Maharashtra government that he will take the protest to Mumbai if his demands over Maratha reservation are not considered within three months.
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… https://t.co/YoxrYpSAUS pic.twitter.com/GzwIHOOsm0
The discussions with the government representatives began when Jarange, who had begun his journey from Antarwali Sarati hamlet in the Jalna district, stopped in Patoda on his way to Mumbai. He was informed about the actions taken by the state regarding the Maratha quota issue. Patil suggested that Jarange designate three delegates to oversee the official procedure pertaining to his requests.
“It will take around three to four months to act on the Kolhapur and Satara gazettes after a written comment is received from the Advocate General,” he expressed. On the other hand, Jarange remained adamant in his push for “official recognition” of historical administrative records, such as the Hyderabad Gazette, Satara Gazette, and Aundh Gazette, for Marathas to establish their Kunbi lineage and claim reservation privileges under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota.
“The government should give in writing that not a single ‘Kunbi’ record will be ignored. The chief minister should sign that paper,” Jarange insisted. According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government has granted 12 of Jarange’s 13 demands and left the lines of communication open. He added that the government has also clarified the legal challenges associated with the 13th demand.
Furthermore, Jarange pressed for the government decision to be revised and the issuance of Kunbi certificates to be streamlined, acknowledging that the government had granted the majority of his demands. He insisted, “Kunbi certificates should be issued based on all 5.8 million records related to Kunbi lineage collected by the government. The government should also ensure that caste validity committees clear all the certificates issued by the government.”
On Wednesday, Jarange declared that although he was open to talks, he was going to continue his travel to Mumbai and reach there on 18th September. He had threatened to send tens of thousands of Marathas to the metropolitan city if he was prevented. His declining health restricted him from travelling to Shrigonda in the Ahilyanagar district, as doctors recommended hospitalisation. The government has repeatedly told him to terminate his fasting and prioritise his health as dialogue persists in addressing his proposed demands.
Jarange ended his Azad Maidan hunger strike on 2nd September last year after the government agreed to six of his eight demands and started the process of handing over Kunbi classification certificates.
It is noteworthy that his campaign has been considerably plagued by multiple controversies. Last year, the Bombay High Court delivered a stern reprimand to the protesters for leaving the sanctioned demonstration site and blocking roads across Mumbai. They were directed to clear the streets as the city was brought to a standstill.
During 2024, Jarange issued threats and additionally put forth a demand to extend OBC reservation benefits to Muslim and other communities possessing Kunbi documents. A year before that, violence erupted in different parts of the state over the Maratha reservation issue.
