Maratha Kranti Morcha calls for Maharashtra bandh on Thursday

The Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) in a meeting held in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, on Wednesday called for Maharashtra bandh on Thursday demanding reservation to the community. However, they have decided to keep the emergency services outside the sphere of the bandh. 

The traffic will be halted during the hours when the bandh is observed. The decision to hold protests has been left with the District coordination committee. The protest is scheduled to be held from sunrise to sunset.

The MKM is the umbrella body of Maratha groups demanding 16 percent reservation under the OBC category.

According to the MKM, they will start hunger strikes after August 10. The demands of the group include withdrawing of cases against the protesters.

The youths have been asked not to resort to violence during the protests but to observe the bandh in a peaceful manner.

Earlier on August 3, MKM leader Abasaheb Patil, "All we want is the quota in education and government jobs." He had said there is nothing left now that need to be discussed with the government on the issue. 

"If the state government fails to grant us reservation by August 7, then a massive agitation will be held across the state," said Patil. He had said the Maratha youth has lost trust in the government, as it is dragging its feet on implementing the reservation.

The police had detained at least 3000 youths from the Maratha community for holding violent protests last week, of whom around 500 youths are facing serious criminal charges such as attempt murder.

CM Devendra Fadnavis had reiterated that the government is committed to granting quota to the Maratha community that can stand legal scrutiny. The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission is currently conducting a survey to assess socio-economic backwardness of the Maratha community. The state government had announced that it will convene a special session of the legislature to discuss the quota demand after the panel submits its report.