Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange announced a five-day march to Mumbai starting Sept 15 on the 15th day of his indefinite hunger strike on Saturday despite appeals from several ministers to defer the programme during Ganeshotsav. Jarange termed the proposed march a “decisive and final” protest, saying he would launch an indefinite fast at Azad Maidan after reaching the state capital on Sept 20.Jarange said he would depart from his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district soon after installing Ganapati idol at 10am on Sept 15. According to the schedule, the march will halt at Patoda (Beed) on Sept 16, Shrigonda in Ahilyanagar on Sept 17, Hadapsar in Pune on Sept 18 and Khopoli in Raigad on Sept 19 before reaching Azad Maidan (Mumbai) on Sept 20. Although Koparkhairane is being considered as an alternative halt, Jarange told his supporters to treat Khopoli as the planned fourth stop.The route from Antarwali Sarati will pass through Shahagad, Gevrai, Beed, Manjarsumba, Limba Ganesh and Patoda before heading towards Mumbai. Jarange said the marchers would cover about 100km a day before reaching each halt.The march is expected to coincide with the Ganesh festival and the run-up to immersion processions, posing a major logistical and security challenge for police and civic authorities. Appealing for peaceful participation, Jarange urged the supporters to maintain discipline. “Nobody should pelt stones or indulge in arson. Vehicles should be driven peacefully,” he said, reiterating that the agitation would remain democratic and non-violent.He also called upon Marathas unable to travel to Mumbai to gather along the route and extend support to the marchers. Jarange urged govt employees, traders, farmers and political workers to join the mobilisation at various points en route.Seeking logistical support, he appealed to financially well-off community members to use their vehicles to ferry protesters towards Mumbai. “Drop us till the outskirts of Mumbai and return. You only have to spend on diesel for four days, but it could transform the lives of Maratha children,” he said.Jarange reiterated that the protesters would travel to Mumbai to secure reservation for the Maratha community and would return only after achieving their objective.Authorities have stepped up security at Antarwali Sarati, deploying additional police personnel with ambulance and fire brigade teams from Saturday.
