Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have urged Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to reconsider his proposed Mumbai protest during Ganeshotsav, citing possible inconvenience to residents and devotees and the need to maintain law and order.
The government’s appeal follows Jarange-Patil’s mobilisation towards Mumbai over demands related to Maratha reservation. Fadnavis said the state had accepted 12 of the 13 demands raised by the Maratha community and asked Jarange-Patil to abandon his insistence on holding the agitation in Mumbai during the festival period.
Fadnavis said some demands could face legal challenges and argued that accepting them without considering their implications could ultimately harm the Maratha community. He appealed to the protest leader to show restraint during the festive season so that the public would not face inconvenience.
The Chief Minister said the police were responsible for maintaining law and order and that Jarange-Patil’s earlier application to hold the protest had been rejected. A fresh application has reportedly been submitted, and the police will take a decision on it. Fadnavis also noted that Ganeshotsav is celebrated on a large public scale in both Mumbai and Pune, increasing the potential impact of a large gathering.
Shinde separately asked Jarange-Patil to reconsider travelling to Mumbai during the festival. He said the decision could create inconvenience for residents and devotees and lead to a law-and-order issue. Shinde also appealed to the activist not to adopt a political position instead of focusing on the community’s demands.
The Deputy Chief Minister referred to steps taken by successive state governments on Maratha-related issues. He said a decision had been taken in 2014, when Fadnavis was Chief Minister, and that the state later called a special session and provided 10% reservation for the Maratha community. He also said the government had addressed the issue of 5,300 pending appointments and increased the loan limit under the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.
Shinde said a process was under way through the Shinde Committee to issue certificates to people with Kunbi records. He added that the government’s position was that efforts to provide justice to the Maratha community should not result in injustice to any other community, particularly the Other Backward Classes.
The government’s position places the proposed protest within Mumbai’s already concentrated festival calendar, when major public celebrations draw large crowds and require extensive police, traffic and civic management. Any decision on permission will therefore determine how the authorities balance the right to protest with operational arrangements for Ganeshotsav.
Fadnavis also announced the formation of a special investigation team to examine complaints related to the MH-CET and the State Common Entrance Test. He said the team would investigate complaints and conduct a forensic audit, with criminal action to follow if irregularities were found.
The immediate next step is the police decision on Jarange-Patil’s fresh application to hold the protest in Mumbai. The government has asked the protest organisers to cooperate while it continues work on the stated Maratha community demands.
