The Maratha reservation agitation has once again intensified after activist Manoj Jarange-Patil resumed his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. For the past two days, Jarange has been on a fast demanding reservation for the Maratha community, drawing thousands of protestors to the city. Political leaders have also begun extending their support to the movement. On Sunday, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule visited the protest site to meet Jarange. However, the visit turned tense as several agitators expressed their anger in front of her, raising slogans against her and her party leadership.
Following her meeting with Manoj Jarange-Patil, Supriya Sule was heading back towards her car when the situation escalated further. A large group of Maratha protesters surrounded her vehicle, shouting slogans such as “Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha” and voicing displeasure against Sharad Pawar. The commotion led to chaos at the site, with slogans intensifying as Sule tried to leave. While some protesters blocked her path, others intervened to make way, eventually ensuring she reached her car safely. The incident highlighted the growing restlessness among protestors and the pressure faced by political leaders.
Meanwhile, state politics have heated up with sharp exchanges over the Maratha quota issue. Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil strongly reacted to Sharad Pawar’s recent remarks on the subject. Addressing the media, he questioned Pawar’s role during his four terms as chief minister, asking why the Maratha community was denied reservation during the Mandal Commission’s implementation. “Jarange-Patil has raised valid concerns before the committee. We are holding discussions to find a solution. But I am surprised at Sharad Pawar, who, as CM multiple times, never acted on Maratha reservation,” Vikhe Patil stated, intensifying the political blame game.