Jarange Patil may cancel Mumbai march over health, holds 2am rally in Patoda

Manoj Jarange Patil, who set out towards Mumbai to press for Maratha reservation, made his first halt at Patoda in Beed district. His rally in Patoda was scheduled for September 15, but it was held much later than planned, at 2am. Despite the late hour, thousands of Maratha community members and women gathered in large numbers to hear him.

Speaking at the rally, Jarange Patil referred to his health and gave important indications about his next leg of the march. He said undertaking the march while fasting was not easy and that his physical distress was increasing greatly. "So I may cancel the next leg of the march. The march is not important, reservation is important. So I will tell the police in Patoda and go straight to Mumbai," Jarange Patil said.

He reiterated that reservation was more important than his health and that the march itself was not important. He said he would not be able to continue the next leg of the march. He made clear that if his health improved he would take part in the next leg, but if the distress continued, travelling would not be possible.

Given the physical exhaustion from continuous fasting and travel, Jarange Patil indicated the possibility of stopping the march and heading straight to Mumbai. All eyes are now on whether he continues the march in the coming days or cancels it and heads directly to Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Jarange Patil's convoy reached Patoda late at night. Despite the late hour, thousands of Maratha community members were present to welcome him and attend the rally. Addressing the gathering, Jarange Patil gave these indications about the road ahead.

At the Patoda rally, Jarange Patil also said that people should not come in large numbers of vehicles for the next leg of the journey. "Tomorrow, not a single vehicle from Patoda should follow me. If you follow me, I will go back to Antarwali Sarati, or else I will start a fast right here in Patoda," he warned.

Jarange Patil said he had received 5.8 million records, and that on the basis of these records a large section of the community would enter the reservation process. He said efforts were now underway for a gazette notification and that all the records had been saved on a pen drive. "Whatever the government says, the records are in our hands. Now we hold the cheque. We can deposit it in the bank whenever we want. The Marathas are now on the threshold of victory," he said in a pointed remark.