Mumbai: Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil has once again intensified his stance on the long-pending quota demand, warning that the community is prepared to march to Mumbai if the state government fails to honour its assurances.

Speaking in Jalna, Jarange said the Maratha community would not hesitate to launch another large-scale agitation, cautioning that any rollback on promises could trigger serious repercussions.

He questioned the intent of the government, stating that the issuance of a Government Resolution (GR) linked to the Hyderabad Gazette indicated a clear commitment towards granting a reservation. “If there was no intention to provide a reservation, such steps would not have been taken,” he remarked.

Jarange’s warning comes months after his massive agitation in Mumbai in August 2025, when he launched an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan. The protest drew lakhs of supporters from across Maharashtra, severely disrupting traffic and daily life in South Mumbai. Commuters faced significant inconvenience as key areas witnessed heavy crowding and restricted movement.

At the time, Jarange had taken a firm position, declaring he would continue fasting until the Maratha community was granted a reservation. His primary demand has been the recognition of Marathas as Kunbis, an agrarian group classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, thereby making them eligible for reservation benefits in education and government employment.

However, the protest also drew sharp criticism from the judiciary. The Bombay High Court had pulled up Jarange and his supporters for allegedly violating conditions imposed for the demonstration. The court observed that the agitation had extended beyond Azad Maidan, leading to gatherings at key public locations such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Churchgate, and Marine Drive, effectively bringing parts of the city to a standstill.

Following negotiations, the agitation was called off in early September after the state government accepted several key demands. A cabinet sub-committee agreed to issue Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas based on historical records, with a formal GR promising to ensure implementation.

Despite this, Jarange’s latest remarks indicate that tensions remain unresolved, with the possibility of renewed protests looming if the assurances fail to translate into action.

Navi Mumbai: Three persons were killed and three to four others sustained injuries after an uncontrolled container truck allegedly rammed into multiple vehicles on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway on Wednesday morning. The container later overturned onto an Innova car, crushing it and killing all three occupants on the spot.

About The Accident

The accident occurred around 9:40 am on the Mumbai-bound lane. According to preliminary information, the speeding container lost control, collided with several vehicles, and then toppled to its left side, falling directly onto the Innova. In total, five vehicles were involved in the accident.

Additional SP Highway Tanaji Chikhale said, “The container appears to have lost control before hitting multiple vehicles. Rescue operations were immediately initiated, and traffic was regulated. The injured have been shifted for treatment, and further investigation is underway.”

Rescue and relief operations were carried out by teams from IRB patrolling, Devdoot system, Borghat Highway Traffic Police, Khopoli Police Station, Delta Force, Maharashtra Security Force, Mrutyunjay Devdoot and Help Foundation. An ambulance from Lokmanya Hospital was also deployed at the site.

Cranes were used to remove the damaged vehicles and clear the highway, restoring traffic flow on the busy stretch. Further investigation into the exact cause of the accident is underway.

Mumbai: is a city that embraces crores of citizens. Therefore, the responsibility of keeping this city clean and beautiful lies with every resident and every citizen here. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration is making continuous efforts for cleanliness. However, the efforts of the administration alone are not enough. Citizens need to take the initiative themselves. Because, public cleanliness is a social duty, actor Padma Shri Akshay Kumar has made this appeal. To keep the area of ​​Mumbai (Mumbai city and suburbs) clean and beautiful, the Solid Waste Management Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation has organized the ‘Mumbai Clean League’ competition. Registration for this competition began today (March 17, 2026) at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in the presence of actor Padma Shri Shri.

MLA Amit Sattam, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Gadi, Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar, Chairman of the Standing Committee Prabhakar Shinde, Chairperson of the Education Committee Rajeshree Shravadkar, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar etc. were present on the occasion. Akshay Kumar further said that the Mumbai Municipal Corporation is constantly trying to keep Mumbai clean. As citizens, we should be more positive about this and take an active part in it. To increase public participation in public cleanliness and highlight its importance, a ‘Mumbai Clean League’ competition has been organized. Celebrities from the fields of film, sports etc. will participate in it along with various institutions. He also said that this will create a competitive environment and help maintain cleanliness. Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said on the occasion that various steps are being taken and various activities are being implemented in Mumbai by the Solid Waste Management Department of the Municipal Corporation in relation to public cleanliness. In this context, the ‘Mumbai Clean League’ competition has been organized to ensure cleanliness in Mumbai and increase the participation of citizens. These competitions will be held in various categories including Clean Administrative Division (Corporate Servant Group), Clean Administrative Division (Ward), Clean Residential Complex, Clean Slum Area, Clean Commercial Establishment, Clean Hospital (Government and Private), Clean Restaurant (Restaurant, CC Road), Clean Restaurant. Clean Parks and Open Spaces, Clean Market and Adoption of the Surrounding Area for Cleaning.

Meanwhile, the registration process for this competition has started from today (March 17, 2026). Citizens or institutions can register for the competition by visiting the link https://sba.mcgm.gov.in/bmc/ or by scanning the QR code circulated through social media, media, Public Awareness Board. Gagrani also said that to ensure fair and transparent competition, the evaluation of each registered establishment can be viewed on the website in real time.

In the Clean Administrative Division (Municipal Servant Group) category, a prize fund of Rs. 1 crore, Rs. 75 lakh for the first position and Rs. 50 lakh for the third position and in the Clean Administrative Division (Ward) category, a prize fund of Rs. 50 lakh, Rs. 25 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh will be given. In the Clean Residential Complex category, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakh, Rs. 20 lakh, Rs. 30 lakh will be given. In the Clean Slum Area category, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean Commercial Establishment, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean Hospital (Government and Private), a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean School (Government and Private), a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean Canteen, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean Community Toilet, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 30 lakhs will be given. In the category of Clean Road/Pathway, a prize fund of Rs. 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, Rs 30 lakh will be given. The first prize in the Clean Park and Open Space category is Rs 15 lakh, the second prize is Rs 10 lakh, the third prize is Rs 5 lakh. The first prize in the Clean Market Area category is Rs 15 lakh, the second prize is Rs 10 lakh, the third prize is Rs 5 lakh. While the first prize for the special category of adopting the surrounding area for cleanliness is Rs 15 lakh, the second prize is Rs 10 lakh, the third prize is Rs 5 lakh. The entire competition will be evaluated by a third-party organization.