Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil has declared an indefinite fast at Mumbai's iconic Azad Maidan starting from January 20. Speaking at a massive rally in Beed on Saturday, he asserted that three crore Marathas would join him in expressing solidarity. Jarange Patil initially set a deadline of December 24 for the government to meet his demands, he has extended it to January 20 due to the Section 144 order enforced by the Mumbai police until January 18. He has urged protestors to enter Mumbai peacefully and refrain from engaging in any violent activities.
The activist also asked Maratha women to start holding protests at the residences of elected representatives in case the government created trouble for those on strike in Mumbai. “Do not leave their residences,” he exhorted. “You fight here and we will fight there.” He further said that the community should hold protests outside police stations if the police started detaining their children to stop them from going to Mumbai.
Jarange-Patil also asked the state government to ensure reservations to the Maratha community in the days before January 20. “The day my people start their foot march from Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna, there will be no turning back,” he warned. “All talks with the government will also be stopped.”Urging the community to accompany him to the financial capital of the country, and to not leave till the government announced a decision on Maratha reservation, he declared that he wanted to give adequate time to people to finish all their essential jobs before leaving for Mumbai.The potential protest if materialised and could harm the financial capital of India.