Seven lakh Marathas push for quota

Mumbai: A sea of saffron Maratha protesters swept across the streets of south Mumbai, disrupting rail and road traffic on Wednesday. Nearly seven lakh Marathas took part in the ‘silent rally’ and highlighted their demands for reservation in government jobs and educational institutes. The Marathas are a politically powerful group because they constitute 35 per cent of Maharashtra’s population.

Taking cognisance of the massive rally, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that his government supports affirmative action policies for the dominant caste. “The Backward Class Commission has received the report about the reservation from the high court. We have also sent our data to them. We are expecting that a time-bound report be submitted in the court by the commission. The government is strengthening the commission by providing them with necessary infrastructure to speed up the process,” Mr Fadnavis said.

The silent march was carried out from Veer Jijamata Udyan, Byculla around 11.30 am. The rally ended in Azad Maidan. Political leaders across parties participated in the silent march to lend their support. Some schools, offices and colleges in south Mumbai remained shut due to the massive rally. Hundreds of cars, buses and trucks were off the roads and traffic was diverted at many locations. This was the 58th Maratha rally. The first march was held in Aurangabad on August 9, 2016.

Earlier in the day, MLAs demanded reservation for the Maratha community in the legislature and created a ruckus. Both sides shouted slogans in the house that led to adjournment of both houses till 3 pm.

The MLAs from Congress and Nationalist Congress Party bowed before the Shivaji statue in the premises and went to participate in the rally wearing saffron turbans, caps. Even Shiv Sena MLAs shouted slogans for the reservation. Some residents of Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district, where

the brutal rape and murder in July 2016 of a 14-year-old girl belonging to the community triggered massive protests across the state, also participated in today’s morcha.

A delegation of Maratha leaders met the CM in the legislature with their demands — justice for Kopardi rape victim and reservation in educational institutes and government jobs. The CM said that in five months, a special court took statements of 31 witnesses in the Kopardi rape case. “The lawyer of the accused tried to delay the case. He was fined Rs 19,000 and Rs 2,000 by the court. They wanted to cross-examine more witnesses but the matter went to the high court. The HC allowed them to cross-examine only one witness. Now the matter has reached its last phase,” Mr Fadnavis said.  

The CM said that for Maratha students, the state has extended scope of the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj scholarship scheme meant for 35 courses to 605 courses. “Earlier, students with 60 per cent marks were admitted for the courses, which has been reduced to 50 per cent now,” he said.  

Talking about some of the policies, the CM said that in the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, three lakh children of farmers would get skill development training. Also, loans upto Rs 10 lakh would be given to them with lower interest rates. The government said that every district will have a hostel for Maratha students for which it will give Rs 5 crore. The government also assured that it would speed up the process of issuing caste certificates.

However, Opposition termed the announcements as false and walked out of the house. NCP leader Ajit Pawar said “No one is satisfied with the government’s stand on reservation.”  

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh also voiced his support to the protest march with a late night tweet.

“Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha”, the actor tweeted in Marathi, referring to a popular slogan.