Why the community is protesting

almost a year, Maharashtra’s politically and socially influential Maratha community has been taking to the streets across the state. Maratha, a predominantly farmer caste, is more than one third of Maharashtra’s population.

For the past two decades, agriculture has become less profitable for the farmers and that has had a direct impact on the Marathas.

On the other hand, as the reach of school education has widened, but jobs available from traditional sources, such as the government and semi-government establishments as well as factories, are limited.

The competition for each job is tough and Maratha youths think their chances are further reduced owing to the 52% reservation for those from other castes and communities.

Although there have been a large number of Maratha farmers who are financially strong, the number of poor Maratha families has been higher.

Significantly, politics in Maharashtra was dominated by Maratha leaders since the state was formed in 1960. The younger generation of Marathas, however, lament the leaders who occupied positions in power but did not do enough for the community.

Rape and murder of a minor girl from the Maratha community at Kopardi in Ahmednagar last year led to localised protests, which soon turned into statewide protests . This led to more organised protests in the next few months and Maratha Kranti Morcha protests.

The protest march organisers, Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella outfit of Maratha community groups, have been insisting that they are not allowing political parties or leaders to hijack protests and politicians are free to join morchas as common participants. They planned to put up a massive show of strength as the Mumbai rally could be the grand finale of their protest. Will they achieve what they have been demanding? It still remains to be seen.