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Maratha agitation: Outfits to march in cars from Kolhapur to Mumbai on September 4
More than 2,000 vehicles are expected to take part in the vehicle march, which is likely to create traffic snarls in the city
After a gap of over a fortnight, Maratha outfits have once again decided to hit the streets. They have declared that they will undertake a vehicle march from Kolhapur to Mumbai to express their demand for 16% reservation in government jobs and education.
The declaration was made on Friday following a meeting called by local Maratha outfits in Kolhapur. The march will begin from Dussehra Chowk in Kolhapur on September 4. On September 5, the protesters will gather at the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, near the Gateway of India in South Mumbai, and throw the government orders issued following Maratha agitation in the Arabian Sea. However, the protesters have said that they would be willing to withdraw the vehicle march if the state government provides a written assurance that their demands will be met.
More than 2,000 vehicles are expected to take part in the vehicle march, which is likely to create traffic snarls in the city. This may prove to be the second-largest agitation organised by the community in the financial capital, since last year’s rally in August.
“We have given an ultimatum of August 31 to the chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis to come out with a concrete assurance over fulfilling our demands. In a meeting held with Kolhapur MLAs on Wednesday, the chief minister reiterated all the technical problems, which is not acceptable to use. We have now decided to go ahead with our plans for carrying out the vehicle march on September 4,” said Indrajeet Sawant, state coordinator of Maratha Kranti Morcha in Kolhapur. Maratha Kranti Morcha is the umbrella body of various Maratha outfits in the state.
While CM has assured that all legal and constitutional procedures required to provide reservations would be completed by November, the community has insisted on a written assurance. Moreover, they have demanded that a specific date be announced for holding a special session of the state legislature to discuss reservation.