Sixth day of Maratha Reservation protest: Supporters block major national highways

As Maratha Quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil agreed to take IV fluids without breaking the fast, his supporters across the Marathwada region continue to stage “rasta-roko” protests, blocking major national highways. 

The supporters are demonstrating to put pressure on the government to implement all the demands. Mr Jarange Patil’s hunger strike enters its sixth day, while head water and agreed to IV on Wednesday (September 2) in Jalna district’s Antarwali Sarati region. “I will continue to fast until the issues are resolved. I am giving two days to the government to act,” Mr Patil said. 

According to police, the influx of people visiting Antarwali Sarati has been increasing. In the meantime, a bandh was announced in Jalna on Thursday (September 3) to extend support to the protest. 

Similar bandhs have been observed in Beed and Dharashiv.

Besides, traffic on the Dhule-Solapur highway, Nanded-Bidar, and others was halted for some time. The rasta roko have been demonstrated on the Kalam-Latur road, Tuljapur- Hyderabad road in the Tirth region, and Indapur in Pune. 

Several regions in Hingoli, including Shengaon, Jawala Bazar, Goregaon, Wasmat region, have been shut down. “Manoj Jarange Patil is fighting for us, for the community; if we don’t stand with him, who will? Government has been ignorant of our demands,” one of the protestors in Hingoli stated to a media person. 

The commuters in a few regions were also affected as the supporters blocked bus movement at Dharashiv Kendriya Bus junction and a bike rally was conducted in Beed city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj chowk. 

Tension is flaring in the state, especially in Maratha community-dominated regions, as they are taking to the streets to extend their support. Mr Jarange Patil is protesting for the 11th time in the last three years. His fresh set of demands are the implementation of reservation based on the Hyderabad Gazette, Satara Gazette, immediate distribution of certificates based on the records of around 58 lakh Kunbis, validation of issued certificates, and others.

In the meantime, his demand for an extension of the Sandeep Shinde committee has been extended by a year till June 30, 2027, as per GR dated August 25.