Updated on: August 29, 2025 08:12 am IST
The Maratha Kota activist Manoj Gerange recognized all the Marathas as Kunbis under OBC for jobs and education reservation.
Security in Mumbai has been carried forward as Maratha Kota activist Manoj Jarang, today (29 August) has been designed to start an indefinite fast at Azad Maidan.
More than 1,500 police personnel and several central forces have been deployed to manage the anticipated big voting and maintain law and order.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satya Narayan along with other senior officials visited the Azad Maidan on Thursday evening to review the security system and assess the situation.
On August 26, 43 -year -old Jarang, along with thousands of supporters, left his native Antwali Sarati village in the fake district. On Thursday morning, he stayed at the Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, before proceeding to Mumbai.
The worker is demanding that all the Marathas be recognized as Kunbis, an agricultural caste involved in an agricultural caste, which makes them eligible for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions.
Here we still know:
- The Maratha Kota movement leader Manoj Zeranz arrived in Mumbai before his protest at Azad Maidan on Friday morning.
- Officers expect over 20,000 protesters at Azad Maidan, which motivates the deployment of local police reinforced by CRPF, RAF, and CISF units to prevent any untoward incident. Originally some central forces have been assigned to the security of the Ganesh festival, which has been redirected to the protest site.
- With the ground capable of only 5,000 people at a time, the police on Friday denied permission to three other organizations seeking protests.
- The Navi Mumbai Police has banned the movement of vehicles on some city roads due to the traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Sion-Panvel Highway due to the convoy of Gerange.
- Eastern Freeway, Sion-Panvel Highway, Panvel-Sanon Road, VN Purav Road, PD’Malo Road, Walchand Hirchand Marg, Dr. Major roads, including Dadabhai Naorji Road, and Hazimal Somani Road, will remain closed from 6 am on Friday for traffic for all vehicles except emergency services.
- Railway safety has also been strengthened. In CSMT, 40 additional railway security forces personnel and 60 Maharashtra Security Force personnel have been deployed.
- Amidst his visits to the homes of party colleagues during Ganeshutsava, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that “the state government is positive about solving Marathas’ issues if they are social and financial and financial in nature and not related to political reservation”.
- The Kota worker gained fame during a hunger strike in Antwali Sarathi village in September 2023, demanding blanket OBC reservation for Marathas along with Kumbi certificates. More than eight lakh certificates were issued due to the movement, allowing the Marathas and their families to reach the OBC quota.
- Gerange says that a separate quota for the Marathas will not be in court and hence is unnecessary. They argue that by providing a clan certificate, the Marathas will be allowed to use OBC quota instead.
- On Thursday, Maratha Kota was seen walking from outside Mumbai, wearing a group of protesters, saffron hats and scarves and carrying saffron flags, walking from CSMT towards Azad Maidan.
With PTI input
