By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Manoj Jarange Patil led Maratha agitation demanding OBC status for the community has just reached Mumbai, which brings with it fresh political worries for the BJP led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election is going to be held later in 2025, in which BJP has biggest stake, since Mumbai is the financial capital of India, and it can’t afford to lose. Maratha community could play a big role in this election on account of their large population in the city. No wonder, BJP leader and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has said that Jarange’s agitation is being exploited for political purposes.
Fadnavis has made this remark after two MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) – Sanjay Jadhav and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar – announced their participation in the protest. The Opposition has come out in support of the agitation. Not even that, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has emphasized that Mumbai’s identity is that of a Marathi stronghold. Another INDIA bloc constituent the Congress has also supported the agitation. Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal has supported the agitation and said that government should be serious about the Maratha community’s demand. As for the Mahayuti, one of its constituent Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has mysteriously said, “some matters should remain confidential.” It was clear indication that Shiv Sena is not going with the BJP on this issue.
All these mean that the BJP will have to deal with the political situation arising out of the Maratha agitation on its own. CM Fadnavis has reiterated that the state government has already granted a separate 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community. He has also assured the OBC communities that their interest will be safeguarded.
A huge rally was organized on August 29, 2025 in Azad Maidan in Mumbai, exactly two years after the Jarange Patil had launched his agitation on August 29, 2023. He has been demanding reservation benefits for the Maratha community from the OBC category. Though one day was allowed him to protest, he said he would not return. “I will not go back until our demands are met. Even if I am shot dead, I will not retreat,” said Jarange in his address to his supporters.
Maratha agitation has been continuing for the last two years and has finally reached Mumbai just before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election to be held soon, but the schedule of election is yet to be announced. It should be noted that Maratha community had given a call to boycott BJP during the Lok Sabha election 2024. BJP had contested 28 seats as a Mahayuti constituent but could win on 9 seats due to the boycott call. Nevertheless, the Vidhan Sabha election held just after few months, BJP was able to win 132 seats out of 149 it contested. It is worth noting that during Vidhan Sabha Election there was no boycott call. Mahayuti had contested Vidhan Sabah election under the leadership of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, but after the result he was replaced as chief minister by Devendra Fadnavis. There has been internal rift between the BJP and Shinde, which is self-explanatory why Shinde is keeping out of the current trouble to BJP brought by Maratha agitation.
During the last two years of agitation, Jarange Patil has not been able to reach Mumbai. He had planned to reach Mumbai in January this year but has stopped at Vashi after the Maharashtra government had requested him to do so on assurance of considering his demand. He had undertaken over half a dozen hunger strikes in the last 15 years of his agitation demanding OBC status to Maratha communities. He demands that Marathas be given Kunbi caste certificate, because they are interlinked socially.
If his demand is met, Marathas will be automatically become OBC, since Kunbis in Maharashtra have OBC status. However, OBCs have been opposing Jarange’s demand fearing that inclusion of Marathas into BJP would harm their interests. Martha population in the state is 32 per cent while OBCs are 52 per cent. When Eknath Shinde was chief minister, the state government has started giving Kunbi caste certificate in 2023 to eligible Marathas, but has allegedly been stopped.
CM Devendra Fadnavis has rejected Jarange’s demand saying that Marathas cannot be classified as Kunbis. “I fail to understand why there is renewed agitation when the Maratha community has already been granted reservation,” he said.
CM Fadnavis has clarified that the government had received claims that Marathas and Kunbis are the same, but legally and constitutionally, they cannot be treated as such. He said that including Marathas in OBC category, in which there are already 350 communities, would result in injustice to those already classified under OBC. He also pointed out that the state government has already provided a separate reservation for Marathas under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) category. In addition, they are eligible for benefits under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota at both state and central levels. (IPA Service)
