Manoj Jarange Enters Day 2 of Hunger Strike at Jalna's Antarwali Sarati

Activist Manoj Jarange stood firm on his demand for Kunbi caste certificates for all Marathas as his indefinite hunger strike entered its second day at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Sunday, warning that he would march to Mumbai if the Maharashtra government failed to act.

Mr. Jarange launched his 11th indefinite fast over Maratha reservation-related demands at his native Antarwali Sarati on Saturday, where thousands of community members gathered to support the agitation. He is demanding that eligible Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian community entitled to reservation benefits in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Class category.

Speaking to reporters on the second day of his agitation, Mr. Jarange said the Maharashtra government should declare all Marathas as Kunbi. He stated that if the government failed to accept the demands, he would march to Mumbai and intensify the agitation.

A meeting of the Maratha community's core committee, led by Mr. Jarange, is scheduled to take place in Antarwali Sarati on September 12 to decide on a hunger strike in Mumbai. He noted that if the government accepts the community's demands before September 12, there will be no need to proceed with the proposed fast in Mumbai.

Mr. Jarange is seeking the immediate issuance of Kunbi certificates to eligible Maratha community members based on 58 lakh historical records, asserting that the community will grant no further time. He has also demanded that caste certificate verification be suspended for cases covered by the historical records, that reservation be issued based on the Satara Gazette, and that all police cases registered against quota protesters across Maharashtra be withdrawn. Additionally, he sought government jobs and financial compensation for the families of individuals who died during previous agitations.

Mr. Jarange also demanded the immediate cancellation of a farmer and youth programme scheduled to be held in Parbhani attended by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and organised by MP Sanjay Jadhav, warning that he would travel to the venue if the event was not called off.

Separately, the State government on August 25 extended the term of the committee headed by retired Bombay High Court Judge Sandeep Shinde by one year till June 30, 2027, to complete the task of scrutinising Maratha-Kunbi genealogical records across districts.