Maratha Kranti Morcha: Fadnavis Responds to Reservation Demands
This year’s Maratha Kranti Morcha will be the 58th and the largest protest march of the Maratha community.
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Mumbai is engulfed by a 'Maratha storm' as lakhs of the politically powerful community embarked on their first, biggest and ultimate 'mook morcha' (silent procession) to demand reservations in jobs and education on Wednesday. The movement started last year, with processions in 57 different cities. While the authorities anticipate participation of around 5,00,000-8,00,000 Marathas from across the state, the organisers are optimistic it will cross three million.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met the representatives of the Maratha Morcha, and asserted in the legislative assembly that the “matter of Maratha reservations has been referred to the backward classes commission”.
- Lakhs of people from across Maharashtra attend a protest march in Mumbai
- This is the 58th and the largest protest march of the Maratha community
- The morcha began at 11 am from the BMC’s Jijamata Udyan and will culminate at Azad Maidan
- Protestors say that the silent protest is a peaceful way to press their demand for reservation
- CM Devendra Fadnavis responded to the protests, saying the “matter of reservations has been referred to the backward classes commission”.
'The Issue of Maratha Reservations Referred to Backward Classes Commission': CM Fadnavis
Talking about the issue of reservations to the Maratha community in the state assembly, Fadnavis said:
The Maharashtra government also announced a "grant of Rs 5 crore to build hostels for students from the Maratha community in every district".
Fadnavis Meets Maratha Morcha Representatives
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis met the representatives of the Maratha Morcha along with leaders from various other political parties.
Watch: The Maratha Kranti Morcha Unfolding on The Ground
Maratha Morcha Delegation to Meet CM Fadnavis
A delegation of the Maratha Morcha, along with Vinayak Mete - leader of the Shiv Sangram party - arrived at Vidhan Bhavan to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reported ANI.
Several Cases of First Aid Administered
According to The Indian Express, approximately 1,500 people were administered first aid and were treated for headache, body pain, dehydration etc.
Leaders Ask Political Parties to Stay Away
The leaders of the march have asked representatives of political parties to stay away so as to not politicise the march. They have warned that this will be the last ‘mook morcha’ or silent protest.
At the Jijamata Udyan, where the morcha began, protesters tore banners put up by the Shiv Sena, stressing that they did not want any “political interference”.
Rajya Sabha member Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje told reporters at Azad Maidan he was participating in the march not as a Member of Parliament but as an "ordinary member" of the Maratha community.
Shiv Sena members, led by Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community.
The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of Vidhan Bhavan.
Get Your 'Maratha' Tattoo Parlour Going
A tattoo parlour, doling out ‘Maratha’ tattoos, seems to be flourishing at the site of the protest.
Humans of the Maratha Kranti Morcha
The protest saw participation from men, women and children alike. Here are the ‘Humans of the Maratha March’, constituting the sea of people out on Mumbai’s streets today.
The Quint's Ground Report
The Quint’s reporter, Pallavi Prasad is on the ground, bringing us live updates.
Traffic Movement Affected at Various Places
Few roads have been shut anticipating the rally. However, the administration and police officials have assured the citizens that adequate measures have been taken in order to avoid any inconvenience to those travelling to and from the rally route. Mumbai Police has advised Mumbaikars to avoid taking the route towards South Mumbai.
Thousands Come on Streets as Rally Begins
Mumbai was engulfed by a 'Maratha storm' as lakhs of the politically powerful community prepared for their first, biggest and final mammoth 'mook morcha' (silent procession) to demand reservations in jobs and education, on Wednesday.
Lakhs of People Expected to Attend Protest
Lakhs of people from across Maharashtra are expected to attend a protest march in Mumbai today seeking reservations in jobs and education for the Maratha community.
This will be the 58th and the largest protest march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first march was held in Aurangabad, the organisers told reporters here.
So far, 57 protests, in the form of 'mook morcha' (silent rallies), have been held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.
Where is the Morcha?
The morcha will begin at 11 am from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Jijamata Udyan and culminate at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, the organisers said.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to spread morcha messages to community members, they said.
The JJ flyover will be closed for traffic, police said. Schools in south Mumbai will remain closed as a precautionary measure, an official said.
The BMC is planning to use the Bombay Gymkhana ground, adjacent to the Azad Maidan, to handle the large number of people expected to participate in the morcha, an official said.
BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and Commissioner of Police Datta Padsalgikar had met last week to discuss preparations and necessary arrangements from a security point of view, he said.
The Demands
The silent protest is a peaceful way to press demand for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case, the organisers said.
Their other demands include Amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.
The morcha has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.
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(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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