Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has appealed to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange to adopt a constructive approach as he heads towards Mumbai for a protest, while urging demonstrators to avoid disrupting the ongoing Ganesh festival and inconveniencing residents and devotees.
Jarange began travelling from Jalna district on Tuesday after being on hunger strike for 17 days. He was accompanied by a convoy of cars, with hundreds of villagers gathering along the route to express support. His demand is that eligible members of the Maratha community with historical Kunbi records should receive the related Other Backward Classes reservation benefits.
Speaking to reporters, Shinde said the right to protest must be respected but added that ordinary citizens and devotees should not face difficulties. Ganeshotsav is scheduled to conclude on September 25, and Mumbai is receiving large numbers of visitors from Maharashtra and other parts of India and abroad during the festival.
The Mumbai Police had earlier denied permission for Jarange to hold his protest at Azad Maidan, citing law and order concerns during the festival. Shinde said the government and police administration were taking necessary measures to maintain order during Ganeshotsav 2026.
Shinde said the government was seeking justice for the Maratha community without causing injustice to Other Backward Classes or any other group. He said the government had maintained a positive position on the demand and was in regular dialogue with Jarange through the Chief Minister, ministers, district collectors, police officials and state representatives.
The Deputy Chief Minister also referred to previous reservation measures. He said a Maratha reservation introduced by the government led by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2014 provided 12 per cent reservation in education and 13 per cent in government jobs, but could not be sustained after legal proceedings and a change of government. He said his government later passed a law providing 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community during a special session of the state legislature.
According to Shinde, the government has also addressed the cases of around 5,300 candidates whose appointments had been held up because of court stays. He cited an increase in the loan limit of the Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation, hostel facilities and overseas education scholarships as other measures for the community.
Shinde further referred to the Justice Shinde Committee, which was established to examine historical records and facilitate the issuance of Kunbi certificates to eligible applicants. He said issues pending before courts would have to be resolved within the legal and constitutional framework and warned against using the agitation for political gains.
The immediate administrative challenge remains managing the protest alongside Mumbai’s festival crowds. Shinde has asked Jarange and the protesters to respond positively to the government’s steps, while the police and administration continue preparations for the remainder of Ganeshotsav.
