MKM leaders have warned their activists not to fall prey to the design of political parties. (Source: Express Photo)
The Maratha Kranti Morcha is all set to begin talks with the state government after its Wednesday rally in Mumbai.
The decision comes in the wake of growing restlessness within the Maratha generation next seeking action relating to their demands through administrative interventions. MKM leaders said they didn’t want the rallies “to become a convenient weapon for the established politicians to serve their own vested interests”. “MKM wants its 58th rally to be a hallmark yielding results,” said a leader.
Various sub-groups within the MKM across regions believe their demands cannot remain on paper and have to directly help the needy within the community.
The state cabinet had given its consent to Maratha reservation and submitted 1,200-page documents in court to legally and constitutionally justify it. The appointment of the Backward Commission is also seen as a step to facilitate Maratha reservation. Marathas who constitute 33 per cent of the state population are the dominant political force in Maharashtra. For the last one year, the community under the banner of MKM has taken to streets through “muk morcha”, or silent rallies, to highlight their demands for reservation in jobs and education, and stop the “misuse of Atrocities Act” against them by backward communities.
Though MKM is a non-political outfit, it elicits support both in terms of financial resources and logistics from established Maratha leadership across Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP. All Maratha leaders, including former chief minister Ashok Chavan, opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, NCP’s Ajit Pawar, and BJP’s Ashish Shelar, will attend the rally.
A sub-group led by Narayan Rane, which included representatives from BJP, Shiv Sangram, NCP and Sena, also appealed to the MKM to have discussions with the government.
A senior MKM leader from Aurangabad said, “Unlike in the past rallies, our focus is on serious academics. The central theme of the rally will be Maratha reservation.”
A group of MKM delegates has been shortlisted to engage in talks with Fadnavis’s team.
Mumbai MKM coordinator Virendra Pawar said, “We are strictly going to enforce the code of conduct in rallies, as done in the past, to ensure the social issues don’t get diverted.”
The core team of the MKM has expressed unhappiness over the ugly “credit war” unleashed among the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena over the morcha. Sena MP Sanjay Raut issued a public statement extending support to the rally under the saffron flag. MKM leaders have warned their activists not to fall prey to the design of political parties.
