Maratha Mukti Morcha: why are Marathas protesting?

Marathas are staging the biggest silent protest of the year. The Maratha community, predominantly a farmer caste, is trying to peacefully press their demands through a series of silent protest, the last of which is being held today. The organisers of the protests have put forth 22 demands, including reservation for the community in government jobs and education, death sentence for the accused in the Kopardi case and dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Caste and Tribes Act and demand for loan waiver to curb farmer suicides. The rally began as a protest to seek punishment of those accused of the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Kopardi, Ahmednagar in 2016.