From hotel worker to Maharashtra’s quota warrior: How hunger strikes, clashes turned Manoj Jarange into the face of Maratha agitation; hero to many, with final fight still on

Manoj Jarange, a prominent figure in the Maratha reservation movement, begins his seventh indefinite fast in Mumbai. He demands a 10% quota for Marathas under the OBC category. Jarange’s past agitations have compelled government engagement. His journey includes working in a hotel and sugar factory. A key turning point was the 2023 protest in Jalna, which escalated after police intervention.