Maratha Kranti Morcha to take place in Kolhapur, despite Ajit Pawar’s request to cancel over Covid worries

PUNE Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers of the Maratha Kranti Morcha have assured authorities that all necessary measures will be taken like using masks and keeping social

PUNE Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers of the Maratha Kranti Morcha have assured authorities that all necessary measures will be taken like using masks and keeping social. However, the silent morcha will take place in Kolhapur on Wednesday.

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Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday, said, “We appealed to the morcha organisers to cancel it, but they are going ahead. Their preparations are almost done and it is not possible to cancel. We have offered Yuvraj Sambhajiraje a discussion with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. In democracy, everyone has a right to agitate.”

Pawar added, “The Supreme Court had scrapped the reservation for Marathas. We requested the central government to make necessary amendments. There are some demands with the state government. We will definitely sort it out, whatever is within the limits of the state government.”

Yuvraj Sambhajiraje, who is in Kolhapur, said, “Maratha Kranti morchas are always silent. We will ensure that it will be peaceful and follow the norms. We have invited all the MLAs and MPs from Kolhapur district to attend. Elected members will speak at the morcha and clear their stand.”

Kolhapur district guardian minister Satej Patil said, “The Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government is firm on getting reservations for the Maratha caste. I will remain present for the Maratha Kranti Morcha and support the demands made by Yuvraj Sambhajiraje.”

As Kolhapur district has the highest positivity rate in western Maharashtra, the administration is worried. This is the first morcha after the Supreme Court’s decision.

NCP leader and deputy CM Ajit Pawar said the BJP is restless after losing the power in Maharashtra. “They believed that the MVA government would lose power in a year. As the government is stable, now they are trying to instigate various groups and asking them to carry out morchas. As an opposition party, it’s right that they should agitate, but they should also understand that the MVA government is stable as long as Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray stand firm.