Make your stand clear on quota for Marathas by May 18: MKM to govt

A delegation of Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) today urged the Maharashtra government to make its stand clear within a fortnight on the community's various demands, including reservation in jobs and education.

The delegation met state Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil here and discussed the issue with him.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Vinod Patil, one of the representatives of the MKM, said the Maratha community's patience was being tested by the government and it cannot be guaranteed that the protests will remain silent henceforth.

"We have not issued any threat or ultimatum to the government. But we are making a final request to it. The government says decisions have been taken, but none of them have been implemented so far. If the decisions don't reach the beneficiaries, what is the use?" he asked.

"We have asked the government to make its stand clear by May 18. Silent morchas may not remain silent for a long time," he said.

According to him, the morcha representatives had submitted a list of 20 demands.

"The prominent demands include 50 per cent reservation in jobs and education, implementation of the capital punishment given to accused in the Kopardi rape case, amending the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to prevent its misuse," he said.

The Maratha community had started holding silent marches in parts of the state after the alleged rape and murder of a Maratha girl by Dalits at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016. A silent morcha was held in Mumbai on August 9 last year.