Marathas divided over August presence

Organisers from Beed said they will not participate in the statewide protest called by Sakal Maratha Samaj, umbrella body of all the Maratha outfits, on August 9

mumbai Updated: Aug 08, 2018 01:00 IST

Maratha community members rode bicycles, as part of Sadbhavna Rally, from Malegaon to Mumbai, to pay tribute to those who died during the protests. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Lack of coordination and rift among Maratha outfits became evident on Tuesday, as organisers from Beed district declared withdrawal of their agitation for 16% reservation in government jobs till November.

In the wake of the protests, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, in a public address on TV, said all legal and constitutional procedures for Maratha reservation will be completed by November and also stayed the state government’s mega recruitment drive for 72,000 jobs.

Taking note of the announcement, organisers from Beed said they will not participate in the statewide protest called by Sakal Maratha Samaj, umbrella body of all the Maratha outfits, on August 9.

“The state has accepted our demand that the recruitment drive be stayed. The chief minister has also set a deadline to complete the procedures,” said Abasaheb Patil, state coordinator from Beed district, who led the agitation at Parli tehsil of the district from where the state’s first sit-in protest started 21 days ago.

However, demanding time-bound plan, the organisers have declared to continue with agitations in the state.

The coordinators of all districts in the state will hold an emergency meeting in Aurangabad on Wednesday to decide the course of action.

“We will meet to discuss the issue. The community will go ahead with the agitation on August 9. Marathas and their families will come out on the roads demanding reservation,” Sanjiv Bhor Patil, state coordinator from Ahmednagar, said.

Meanwhile, organisers in Mumbai plan to hold a symbolic protest outside the suburban collectorate office at Bandra on August 9.

“It will be a peaceful protest where thousands of people will gather and submit a charter of demands to the collector,” said Nanasaheb Kute Patil, state coordinator from Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai will stay away from the agitation.

The Marathas make up 32% of the state’s population. Maharashtra has reserved 52% seats under various quotas in employment and education. If the Marathas come under the reserved category, the reservations in the state will go up to 68%.

First Published: Aug 08, 2018 00:55 IST