Jarange calls for ‘Chalo Mumbai’ march for Maratha quota 

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Sunday (August 24, 2025) appealed to members of the Maratha community across Maharashtra to join his proposed ‘Chalo Mumbai’ march beginning August 27, calling it the community’s “last fight” to secure reservation in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. 

Addressing a rally at Manjarsumba in Beed district, Mr. Jarange urged the community to turn out in large numbers, stating that the protest would mark a decisive moment in the decades-long struggle for Maratha reservation. 

“This is our final battle. We will march to Mumbai peacefully, but we will not return without the Maratha quota,” he said, addressing his supporters.  

Mr. Jarange will commence the march from his native village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on August 27. The protest is scheduled to culminate at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, with a large-scale demonstration beginning August 29. 

Mr. Jarange alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was “provoking” the Maratha community by “creating hurdles” and “using the police to intimidate protestors”. 

He also criticised the administration for “failing to bring justice” in the Mahadev Munde murder case, stating that police resources should focus on the probe rather than monitoring peaceful demonstrators. 

“Instead of harassing us, the police should catch Munde’s killers. If the government announces the quota before we begin, we will celebrate in our villages. But if not, we will fight in Mumbai,” Mr. Jarange said.  

While calling for a large turnout, Mr. Jarange urged protestors to maintain restraint and avoid any confrontation with authorities. “No one should resort to violence. If anyone throws stones, hand them over to the police. Those attempting to incite unrest are not part of our movement — it could be a conspiracy to discredit us,” he said.  

In response, Maharashtra Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Girish Mahajan appealed to Mr. Jarange to “exercise restraint”, and acknowledge the government’s commitment to addressing the Maratha demands. 

“It was Mr. Fadnavis who first provided a concrete framework for Maratha reservation. The decision did not survive judicial scrutiny, but no previous government had made such progress. One must recognise that contribution before making accusations,” Mr. Mahajan said, speaking to reporters in Mumbai.  

Mr. Mahajan also said the government remains open to dialogue but stressed that personal attacks on Mr. Fadnavis were “unfair and unhelpful” at a sensitive juncture.