Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Friday commenced an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, asserting that he will not leave the protest site until the government addresses the community’s reservation demands. The 43-year-old leader arrived in the city amid a massive turnout of supporters wearing saffron scarves, caps, and carrying flags.

On reaching the protest site, Jarange made a resolute statement: “I have come here as planned, and the fast has begun. If needed, I will not rise from here until our demands are implemented. Not even bullets will make me step back. Unless we have victory, and gulal falls on our heads in celebration, we will not move from Azad Maidan.”

He urged his followers to maintain discipline and ensure the agitation remains peaceful. “No violence, no vandalism, no stone-pelting. Cooperate with the police. No one should drink, no one should create a nuisance. Do not do anything that will make our society bow its head in shame,” Jarange emphasized, reinforcing the non-violent nature of the protest.

As the crowd grew in numbers, Jarange made a practical appeal to part of the gathering. He requested some supporters to relocate to Navi Mumbai’s Vashi area, saying, “The rains have begun, and we don’t want protestors to face hardship in the city. Some of you can continue the agitation at Vashi, while the rest stay here. Mumbai must not be inconvenienced.”

Jarange also issued a firm message to the government, warning that the protest would persist until the demands are met. “We will not leave until the implementation of our demands. The government did not cooperate earlier, which is why we had to come to Mumbai. Now that permission has been granted, we will also extend cooperation, but only if our rights are secured,” he declared.