Maratha quota stir: Days after cops deny him protest permission, defiant Jarange leaves for Mumbai
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has defied a police ban on his protest and is traveling to Mumbai to continue his hunger strike. He is demanding OBC status for the Maratha community and has alleged a conspiracy against his life.
Why it matters
The protest highlights ongoing social tensions and political pressure regarding caste-based reservation policies in Maharashtra.
Undeterred by the police's denial of permission to stage a protest in Mumbai, fasting Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange left for the Maharashtra capital on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) morning from Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district.
Mumbai Police earlier denied permission to Mr. Jarange, who has been on a hunger strike for the last 17 days demanding OBC quota for Maratha community members with Kunbi caste genealogies, to take the protest to Azad Maidan, citing law and order concerns during the ongoing Ganesh festival.
Though defiant, Mr. Jarange tweaked his earlier plan to mobilise Maratha community members from various parts of Maharashtra to Mumbai and decided to go with a select group of 5-10 associates amid tight security.
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