Maratha candle march for Kopardi rape victim shifted to Azad Maidan in Mumbai
Mumbai city news: This step was taken after the Mumbai Police denied them permission to hold the march at Gateway of India
The venue of a candle march, being organised by the Maratha community on July 13 to mark the first death anniversary of the minor girl who was raped and brutally murdered at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district last year, has been shifted to Azad Maidan from the Gateway of India.
This step was taken after the Mumbai Police denied them permission to hold the march at Gateway of India. “Our aim was to pay condolences to the innocent girl who was brutally murdered. The march will also remind the government that even after one year, her parents are waiting for justice. But police have denied permission to us to hold candle march at Gateway of India,” said Virendra Pawar, an organiser.
“The police believe people will come in big numbers to pay condolences and they may find it difficult to control huge crowd at that location, which is also a tourist spot. We have finally decided to shift the venue to Azad Maidan, a spot suggested by the police,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maratha, a major influential community in Maharashtra, has been agitating for reservation which could affect political equations in the state. The community protests across the state stirred the Maharashtra politics for several months last year. It was started as a protest against the Kopardi rape and murder.
Around 57 massive rallies were carried out by community members demanding death sentence for the accused, dilution of the Atrocities Act (Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act), reservation in government jobs and education for the community and many other such demands.
To condole her death, members of the community from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Panvel and other neighbouring areas will gather at Azad Maidan on Thursday evening. Another condolence program has been organised at Kopardi on the same day. Members residing in other parts of the state were asked to reach Kopardi.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha (Maratha Revolution March) has also planned a rally in Mumbai on August 9.