‘They should not get suspicious’: How Jarange plans to mobilise Marathas to Mumbai
In his latest push for Kunbi caste certificates, Jarange has asked his supporters to gradually travel to Mumbai over the next 12 days and not assemble at the proposed protest site immediately.
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on the third day of his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, on Monday laid out a low-key mobilisation plan for his proposed Mumbai agitation, asking supporters to quietly reach the financial capital to avoid drawing the police’s attention, stay with relatives and friends and wait for his signal to take to the streets.
Manoj Jarange launched his 11th indefinite fast over Maratha reservation-related demands on Saturday, mobilising thousands in his support. He has stood firm on his demand for Kunbi caste certificates for all Marathas, warning that the agitation would reach Mumbai if the Maharashtra government failed to act.
‘They shouldn’t get suspicious’: Manoj Jarange
In his latest push for Kunbi caste certificates, Jarange has asked his supporters to gradually travel to Mumbai over the next 12 days and not assemble at the proposed protest site immediately.
“Start going to Mumbai from today. Go gradually over the next 12 days. Do not let the police know that Marathas have started arriving in Mumbai,” he said, adding, “Go to your relatives’ houses and remain there quietly.”
“Once you get the message that I have reached Mumbai, come out on the streets,” he said.
Jarange has specifically asked his supporters not to go to Azad Maidan – South Mumbai’s officially designated protest site – or the CM Devendra Fadnavis’ official residence, Varsha Bungalow. “They should not get suspicious about how much crowd has already gathered,” he said.
He also asked supporters not to carry flags initially, saying this could make them more identifiable to the police.
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“Go like a common man and go gradually in small groups or individually,” Jarange said, seeking to reassure those who fear getting detained. “If the police catch you and take you to the police station, do not be afraid. I will not break my fast. I am going to Mumbai.”
He further claimed that the eventual mobilisation could involve six crore Marathas in five phases — a claim that has not been independently verified.
The proposed escalation comes after the August 28 deadline Jarange had set for the state government to act on his demands over Kunbi certificates, caste validity and cases filed during the Maratha reservation agitation.
Jarange’s latest protest marks a fresh escalation of the Maratha reservation agitation, nearly a year after he called off his Mumbai protest following government assurances.
Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.
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