MUMBAI: In a city that rarely sleeps and never stops, few individuals have had the power to bring Mumbai to a grinding halt. Historically, it took the might of George Fernandes, the fiery trade unionist turned Defence Minister, or the commanding presence of Balasaheb Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena, to pause the ticking clock of India’s financial capital. But in recent years, another name has emerged: Manoj Jarange Patil, all of 43, the Maratha reservation crusader who shook Mumbai with a peaceful protest, bringing the government to its knees.
Jarange Patil’s five-day hunger strike at the iconic Azad Maidan in Mumbai was more than a protest. It was a movement that transformed the very image of the city. Saffron turbans, spirited youths, and resolute elders occupied South Mumbai. Local trains, usually bustling with office-goers, were instead filled with Maratha protestors who had travelled from every corner of Maharashtra to support the cause. For five days, Mumbai witnessed an unusual calm-- from solidarity.
The protest demanded the inclusion of Marathas in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, a decades-long demand that had been gaining momentum under Jarange Patil’s leadership.
Despite receiving only a one-day permission from authorities, the protest continued for five tense days, creating administrative chaos and political discomfort for the state government. Initially dismissed as a minor challenge, the government soon found itself in crisis mode. With the images of peaceful yet overwhelming public support pressure mounted on the government.
Eventually, the administration gave in to several of the protestors' key demands, marking a partial but significant victory for the Maratha community, and a personal triumph for Jarange Patil.
Born in the Maratha caste, Jarange Patil hails from the village of Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district. His journey as an activist began over 15 years ago, long before he became a household name. He founded the Shivba Sangathan, a grassroots organisation dedicated to Maratha rights. But it was a brutal crackdown in 2023 that catapulted him into the state’s political consciousness.
That year, as part of a small local protest, Jarange Patil and others were peacefully agitating for Maratha reservation when Maharashtra police launched a violent, pre-dawn lathi-charge to disperse them. Videos of women, children, and the elderly being injured went viral, sparking outrage across the state. The backlash was immediate, and Jarange Patil emerged as the face of Maratha indignation.
Jarange Patil is seen as a man of the people. He lives in a tin-shed house, shuns personal luxuries, and maintains a simple lifestyle. This authenticity stands in sharp contrast to the perceived opportunism of mainstream political leaders, many of whom have switched allegiances for power. For a community that feels betrayed, Patil represents commitment.
His influence was evident in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP suffered heavy losses in the Marathwada region, a direct result of Maratha disillusionment. Though he remained politically neutral during state elections, his calls for people to vote with their conscience were seen as an implicit challenge to the ruling alliance.
Earlier, the government had tried to pacify the movement through promises, including the implementation of the Sage Soyare--- through birth relations and through relations by marriage--
GR (Government Resolution) and the classification of Marathas as Kunbis to gain OBC benefits. But these measures were perceived as tokenistic. Patil, despite being doubted even by his own supporters at times, reignited the fire with his Mumbai protest, forcing the government to act again, issuing a new GR based on the Hyderabad Gazette and proposing a "one clan, one record" policy. However, the struggle is far from over. Legal and social disputes continue over the validity and reach of these government resolutions. Critics argue that these changes fall short of granting blanket OBC status to the Maratha community, raising questions about the long-term impact of the movement.
The government managed to weather the storm, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil leading back-channel negotiations. Yet, behind the headlines and political manoeuvering, Manoj Jarange Patil remains the symbol of a deeper unrest — a voice for a community in transition.
