Another Maratha group holds bike rally in south Mumbai

Days after Maratha Kranti Morcha, the umbrella outfit representing the Maratha community, announced a halt on its ongoing silent marches demanding reservation for one month, an outfit, Maratha Kranti Sangharsh Morcha (MKSM), held a bike rally from Somaiya Maidan at Chunabhatti to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai

Days after Maratha Kranti Morcha, the umbrella outfit representing the Maratha community, announced a halt on its ongoing silent marches demanding reservation for one month, an outfit, Maratha Kranti Sangharsh Morcha (MKSM), held a bike rally from Somaiya Maidan at Chunabhatti to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai.

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The MKSM has put forth 10 demands in front of the state and has warned of a massive march on August 9, if the state fails to act upon them. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Prasad Lad, Kalidas Kolambkar and Vinayak Mete of Shiv Sangram, which is an ally of the saffron party, participated in the rally.

The demands include review petition in the apex court, sizable provision for SARTHI and Annasaheb Patil Financially Backward Development Corporation, hostels for the youth from the community in every district, recruitment of youth who had secured government jobs from the quota before it was quashed, among others.

“The community is not divided, although our way of agitation may be different. We have full faith and respect for Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, but we do not believe in government’s assurances as it has failed to keep them. We held 58 silent marches in 2016-17, after which reservation was given. We believe that the demands cannot be fulfilled without aggressive agitation. If the government fails to respond positively in the next few days, we will have a massive march in Mumbai in the next few weeks,” said Rajan Ghag of MKSM. He said his outfit has no link to any political party and they had invited leaders from all parties. Lad said, “The state has been taking the issue of the reservation very lightly. We are here to warn it that the agitation will be further intensified if quick steps are not taken.”

The BJP has been advocating aggressive protest, while its MP Sambhajiraje has sought an amicable solution and urged the community to not resort to the streets. Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, a descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is leading the under the umbrella outfit’s agitation for Maratha reservation which was quashed by the apex court on May 5. The MP has stalled the agitation for one month after holding two silent protests in Kolhapur and Nashik on June 17 and 21, respectively. He had expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the state after a meeting with CM Uddhav Thackeray and other ministers last week.

Virendra Pawar of Maratha Kranti Morcha said, “We did not participate in the rally as it is against our principle of avoiding public gathering amid pandemic. Maratha Kranti Morcha is a mass movement and different outfits can have their views on agitation, which is why we did not oppose the rally.”