Maratha protests get Dalit, Muslim morchas going

The growing mobilisation of the Marathas and clamour for reservation for their community has now prompted the Dalit and Muslims communities to organise protest marches to put forward their demands to the Maharashtra government.

The Dalit community on Wednesday carried out a peaceful protest in Latur against the demands of the Maratha community, which is seeking the scrapping of the Atrocity Act.

The Dalit community, however, has supported Marathas’ demand for reservation for the community in jobs and education. Meanwhile, the Muslim community too has decided to mobilise and demand five per cent reservations in education. The community has alleged that the state government has not given a go-ahead for reservation in education despite a Bombay High Court order.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is already rattled by the immense response the Maratha community protests are getting. The government has engaged with the opposition leaders and have formed a panel to look into the demands of the community.

The politically dominant Maratha community has been holding silent protest marches across the state for over a month now. The community has demanded stern action against the culprits of Kopardi rape and murder case, reservations for the community, and scrapping of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The final rally will be held in Mumbai around mid-October where all Maratha organisations will come together to bring around 20 lakh protesters on the streets of the financial capital in a show of strength likely to bring the city to a temporary halt.