Maratha quota activist to stop drinking water tomorrow
Manoj Jarange Patil, leading the Maratha quota movement, has gone on an indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan and now says he'll stop drinking water from Monday, September 1.
He's pushing for a 10% reservation for Marathas under the OBC category, pointing to old records that list Marathas as Kunbis in Marathwada.
Patil's protest draws huge crowds
Patil is using the 1884 Hyderabad Gazette to support his demand and wants the government to officially recognize this for reservation benefits.
His protest has drawn huge crowds and caused major traffic jams in Mumbai.
The state has set up a cabinet sub-committee to look into legal options while balancing Supreme Court rules on caste reservations.
This fight highlights ongoing debates about who gets access to education and jobs—and could shake up Maharashtra's politics.