Jarange Heads To Mumbai Despite Protest Denial, Fadnavis Questions Timing Amid Ganesh Festival

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has set out for Mumbai despite the city police denying permission for his proposed protest at Azad Maidan, escalating the standoff over the demand for OBC reservation for eligible members of the Maratha community.

Jarange left Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on Tuesday with a small convoy, abandoning his earlier plan for a large mobilisation in Mumbai. He is travelling with only 5-10 associates amid heavy security and plans to reach Azad Maidan on September 19 after covering more than 400 km through Beed, Ahilyanagar, Pune and Raigad.

Hundreds of villagers gathered along the route to greet and support him. The crowds slowed his convoy considerably, with officials saying it covered only about 22 km in nearly six hours after leaving his village.

The Mumbai Police had refused permission for the protest, citing law-and-order concerns during the ongoing Ganesh festival. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis questioned the timing of the agitation, saying the government wanted to ensure that the festival, particularly in Mumbai and Pune, was not disrupted and people were not inconvenienced.

Fadnavis said the government had accepted 12 of 13 demands raised by the Maratha protesters that it considered legally valid. He said the legal difficulties surrounding the remaining demand had also been explained.

Jarange, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike, has rejected the government's position and reiterated his demand for OBC quota benefits for Marathas with Kunbi caste genealogies. Citing a Bombay High Court ruling, he said democratic protests could not be stopped.

Jarange has also alleged that there was a conspiracy to kill him, though the claim has not been independently established. His convoy includes two ambulances, while police and security personnel have been deployed along sensitive points on the route.

The latest agitation revives memories of Jarange's August-September 2025 Mumbai protest, when the demonstration at Azad Maidan caused severe traffic disruption before being called off after the state accepted several demands and initiated steps on Kunbi certificates.

The focus now is on whether Jarange will be allowed to proceed with his planned protest after reaching Mumbai.