Manoj Jarange Patil has launched a vigorous protest demanding blanket Kunbi certificates and reservation under the OBC quota for the Maratha community. His march, originating from Antarwali Sarati with thousands of Maratha demonstrators, has reached Pune and is expected to arrive in Mumbai on January 26th.However, Gunratan Sadavarte has filed a petition in the High Court challenging Patil's agitation. During the hearing, the Bombay High Court issued a notice to Patil and issued crucial directives to the state government.Specifically, the High Court instructed the government to ensure that Patil's protest does not disrupt public life. The Advocate General, representing the state government, guaranteed the High Court that they are prepared to take appropriate action against Patil's agitation.The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for two weeks from now.In the meantime, Manoj Jarange Patil and thousands of Maratha agitators who started from Antarwali Sarati to Mumbai have arrived in Pune today. They will be staying in Lonavala tonight and will arrive in Panvel by tomorrow afternoon. After that, the agitators will reach Mumbai on January 26. Jarange Patil will also begin his hunger strike in Mumbai.
Jarange-Patil has proclaimed that this is the “final struggle” for the Maratha reservation. Manoj Jarange-Patil, who originally hails from the adjoining Beed district, settled in Shahgad in Jalna district after marriage.He joined the movement for reservations for the Maratha community in government jobs and education about 15 years ago. He participated in several marches and protests and also sold 2.5 acres of agricultural land out of his four acres to meet his daily needs. After initially working for Congress, Jarange-Patil founded an outfit called the Shivba Sanghatana to organise protests for the Maratha reservation.After the Supreme Court quashed the Maratha reservation quota in 2021, Jarange-Patil participated in demonstrations at various places, including a three-month agitation in Sasht-Pimpalgaon in Jalna district, where hundreds of people joined him.The Maratha activist came into the limelight during a hunger strike in Septemeber last year at the village of Ataravali-Sarate.