15 September,2026 05:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Fadnavis said the government expected the festival to continue without any obstacles. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday urged Maratha quota protesters to ensure that the ongoing Ganeshotsav 2026 celebrations are not disrupted as activist Manoj Jarange began his journey towards Mumbai for a protest, reported the PTI.
Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the police. He added that Mumbai Police had rejected Jarange's earlier application seeking permission to hold a protest in the city.
"Police had rejected Jarange's application seeking permission to protest in Mumbai. Police will decide on any fresh application based on its merits," Fadnavis said, the news agency reported.
The Chief Minister said the government expected the festival to continue without any obstacles.
"Ganeshotsav is a very big festival in Mumbai and Pune and is celebrated publicly as one of the biggest Hindu festivals," he told reporters.
Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government had accepted 12 of the 13 demands raised by the Maratha protesters that it considered legally valid.
He said the government had also explained the legal difficulties linked to the remaining demand and warned that going against a court order could adversely affect the Maratha community.
"I feel that instead of taking such a position, during the festive days they should take a decision so that people do not face any inconvenience," Fadnavis said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jarange left Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district for Mumbai.
According to the PTI, Jarange has been on a hunger strike for 17 days, demanding OBC quota benefits for members of the Maratha community who have Kunbi caste genealogies.
Mumbai Police had earlier denied permission for Jarange to hold his proposed protest at Azad Maidan, citing law and order concerns during the Ganesh festival.
Jarange had announced plans to begin the protest at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai from September 19.
Despite the police decision, he modified his earlier plan to bring a large number of Maratha community members from across Maharashtra to Mumbai. He instead decided to travel with a small group of around five to 10 associates amid tight security.
During the interaction with reporters, Fadnavis also commented on reports that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were reviewing the party's organisational strength.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, Fadnavis questioned why Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had not been given a specific organisational responsibility despite serving as a general secretary for nearly 1,000 days.
"For the first time in the history of the Congress, there is a general secretary who has been a general secretary for nearly 1,000 days, but she has not been given any department, any state or any responsibility," he said.
Fadnavis said the Congress should give Priyanka Gandhi a specific role rather than keep her as a general secretary "only in name", the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
