16 September,2026 11:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ashish Shelar said it was within his purview to appeal to Jarange`s supporters not to come to Mumbai. File Pic
Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar on Wednesday appealed to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange to call off his proposed protest in Mumbai during the ongoing Ganeshotsav 2026, saying a large number of devotees are travelling to Mumbai and Pune for the festival, reported the PTI.
Shelar also expressed concern over Jarange's health as his indefinite hunger strike entered its 19th day. Jarange is currently travelling towards Mumbai from Maharashtra's Jalna district.
Shelar, who holds the Information Technology and Culture portfolios, urged Jarange to take care of his health and put off the proposed agitation.
He said the Ganesh festival was being celebrated across Maharashtra and that large numbers of devotees were visiting Mumbai and Pune.
Shelar said the proposed agitation could cause inconvenience during the festival and appealed to Jarange and his supporters to avoid disrupting the celebrations, according to the PTI.
The minister also said it was within his purview to appeal to Jarange's supporters not to come to Mumbai. He added that permission for a protest was a matter for the police.
Shelar claimed that 13 of the 14 demands raised so far by Jarange concerning reservation for the Maratha community in education and government employment had been fulfilled by the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, as per the PTI.
He also questioned Jarange's current demand for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for Marathas based on Kunbi caste genealogies.
Shelar referred to the 10 per cent reservation law for the Maratha community in education and government jobs enacted when Eknath Shinde was Chief Minister, the news agency reported.
Jarange's health became a concern on Wednesday as he continued his journey towards Mumbai while on hunger strike.
After reaching Patoda in Beed district, a government doctor said Jarange had very low blood pressure and blood sugar levels and was suffering from severe dehydration. Doctors advised hospitalisation, according to reports.
Jarange subsequently indicated that his Mumbai journey could be cancelled if his health condition worsened. He had begun his journey from Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on Tuesday.
The Mumbai Police have denied permission for Jarange's proposed indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan during the Ganesh festival.
Jarange had planned to reach Mumbai after travelling through Beed, Ahilyanagar, Pune and Raigad. His proposed Mumbai protest has raised concerns among authorities over crowd management and law and order during Ganeshotsav, as per the PTI.
Jarange is seeking reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category, with Kunbi caste records being used as the basis for eligibility.
Shelar said criticism of the BJP-led Mahayuti government was part of democratic discourse. However, he said derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister and his deputies were unacceptable, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
