Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday warned that more than five crore Marathas would come to Mumbai if Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis does not address the community’s quota demands.
Jarange’s protest, now in its fourth day at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, has drawn hundreds of supporters from the Maratha community. Addressing the gathering, he accused Fadnavis of deliberately delaying a decision on the issue.
“It is so easy to take a decision on providing quota to the community. The state government has to just say that it is implementing the Hyderabad, Satara and other gazetteers and declare all Marathas in Marathwada as Kunbis. The distribution of such certificates can be done by the district collectors and tehsildars,” Jarange said.
He added that more than five crore Marathas were ready to march to Mumbai if their demands were ignored. At the same time, he urged protesters to ensure that Mumbaikars were not inconvenienced by the stir.
Large groups of quota seekers gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and other parts of south Mumbai, leading to traffic congestion and disruptions. Police diverted vehicles heading towards CSMT, while the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking suspended or rerouted buses on routes passing through the area.
Jarange also claimed that three of his supporters have died since the launch of his latest protest on August 29. On Monday, he stopped consuming water as part of his indefinite hunger strike. A medical team from the state-run JJ Hospital examined him at Azad Maidan, checking his blood pressure and sugar levels.
Despite appeals for calm, the agitation intensified around CSMT. Protesters were seen dancing, shouting slogans, and crowding railway platforms, causing major inconvenience to office-goers. Traffic came to a standstill at Mahapalika Marg, JJ Marg and DN Road, while heavy police deployment was maintained in the area.
Some agitators attempted to enter the Bombay Stock Exchange building but were stopped by security personnel. The protesters then raised slogans such as “Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha” and “Aarakshan Aamcha Hakka Che” (reservation is our right) outside the premises.
Also Read : Maratha quota stir spreads across Marine Drive, Gateway of India
Groups of demonstrators also staged sit-ins outside the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) building and blocked buses and private vehicles in areas near Metro theatre. The police dispersed them quickly, but congestion remained heavy on roads connecting south Mumbai.
A BEST spokesperson confirmed that all buses approaching CSMT had been diverted or temporarily suspended. The Mumbai Traffic Police also closed the JJ Bridge for heavy vehicles from 9.30 am. Traffic on the Eastern Freeway moved slowly but did not come to a complete standstill.
Police had already issued an advisory on Sunday cautioning motorists about possible disruptions. Additional forces have been deployed across Azad Maidan and surrounding areas, with several roads barricaded.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said the government was working on a solution to the quota issue.
“We are working to resolve the issue. I agree it’s taking time. But the solution should be sustainable in courts,” he told reporters after meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday night.
Vikhe Patil, who heads a cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha reservation, added that the agitation should not disrupt daily life in Mumbai, as it could weaken public support.
Fadnavis is expected to meet his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to discuss the way forward. Jarange has demanded that the government issue a Government Resolution (GR) to provide reservation to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category based on existing records.
On Sunday, the state government said it would seek legal opinion on implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer to recognise Marathas as Kunbis, an OBC caste.
Follow us
