Maratha Kranti Morcha members hold protests despite CM’s appeal

PUNE The members of various Maratha outfits held a protest at the district collectorate office on Thursday for reservation in education and employment even after

PUNE The members of various Maratha outfits held a protest at the district collectorate office on Thursday for reservation in education and employment even after an appeal by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray not to resort to agitation in the light of Covid-19 pandemic.

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Wearing black ribbons as a mark of protest, they later submitted a memorandum to district collector Rajesh Deshmukh.

The protests continued even as the Pune police served notices to Maratha Kranti Morcha convenors.

“We handed over a memorandum to the district collector and demanded that the state government take all necessary legal steps to lift the ban on the reservation,” said, Rajendra Kondhare, convenor, Maratha outfit.

“We also demanded that admissions of students from the Special Economically Backward Class (SEBC) done before the stay be secured and concessions granted to students from that category should continue,” he said

In Kolhapur, activists of Sakal Maratha Samaj staged protests for Maratha reservation while attempting to cut Pune and Mumbai’s milk supply.

A large number of workers gathered in front of Gokul dairy to block tankers carrying milk for other cities through heavy police bandobast ensured vehicles left the milk distribution centre without any problem. The police detained some protesting members, said officials.

The police intervened and detained three activists, an official said

The apex court on Wednesday stayed implementation of the Maratha quota law and referred petitions challenging the law to a larger constitution bench.