Manoj Jarange resumes fast over Kunbi certificates' demand, warns of Mumbai march

Activist Manoj Jarange resumed his indefinite fast and warned of a march to Mumbai over Kunbi certificates for eligible Marathas. The ultimatum raises pressure on the Maharashtra government ahead of a key community meeting on September 12.Maratha activist Manoj Jarange began his 11th indefinite fast on Saturday at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra's Jalna district.Activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday stood by his demand for Kunbi caste certificates for eligible Marathas and warned that he would march to Mumbai if the Maharashtra government did not act. His indefinite hunger strike over Maratha reservation-related demands entered its second day.Jarange began his 11th indefinite fast on Saturday at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where thousands of community members have gathered in support. He has been seeking recognition of eligible Marathas as Kunbis, an agrarian community that gets reservation benefits in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Class category."The Maharashtra government should declare all Marathas as Kunbi," Jarange told reporters on the second day of his agitation. He said that if the government failed to accept the demands, he would march to Mumbai and intensify the protest.He also said a meeting of the Maratha community's core committee, led by him, would be held in Antarwali Sarati on September 12 to decide on staging a hunger strike in Mumbai. "If the government accepts our demands by September 12, there will be no need to hold the proposed fast in Mumbai," he said. Jarange is demanding the immediate issue of Kunbi certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community on the basis of 58 lakh historical records, and said the community would not give any more time. He has also sought a halt to caste certificate verification, saying there is no need for it in cases covered by the historical records.Among his other demands are reservation based on the Satara Gazette, withdrawal of all police cases registered against quota protesters across Maharashtra, and government jobs and financial compensation for the families of those who died during earlier agitations. He has also called for a dedicated state portfolio for the Maratha and Kunbi communities with immediate staff appointments, payment of interest on loans extended through the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, release of pending SARTHI student scholarships, and immediate appointment letters for candidates selected under the SEBC and EBC quotas.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 30, 2026 11:34 IST