Hunger stir for Maratha quota from August 20

Mumbai: Although the Sakal Maratha Samaj (SMS) has declared a state-wide hunger strike from August 15 to press for reservation for the Maratha community, the agitation is yet to take momentum.

After blaming incidents of violence during the protests and the bandh organised as part of the agitation on “outsiders”, the Sakal Maratha Samaj announced a statewide hunger strike from August 15.

Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) president Vinod Patil clarified that “outsiders” took undue advantage of the agitations and orchestrated the violence. Mr Patil said that the Maratha Samaj would never support violence. To avoid a repeat of such incidents and to mount pressure on the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led state government, the Maratha Samaj declared a hunger strike to press for Maratha reservation. However, the hunger strike is yet to take momentum.

When contacted, general secretary of the Maratha Morcha, Rajendra Kondhare, told The Asian Age, “We have started hunger strike agitations at a few places. But due to Independence Day and the demise of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the agitations are yet to gain momentum. We are holding meetings for coordination and the agitations will start across the state from August 20.”

The state backward classes’ commission will take three months’ time to analyse the data received from survey agencies. These agencies will submit the data to the commission by the first week of September.

The CM has cleared that it is not possible for the government to grant reservation before the commission submits its report. So, it will take at least three to four months. But the Maratha Morcha is still firm on the hunger strike agitation despite the assurance of reservation from the CM.