Mathadis keep politicians out of annual meet
NAVI MUMBAI: The 42nd death anniversary function of mathadi leader Annasaheb Patil, who first raised the Maratha reservation issue, was held on Saturday without a single politician being invited, unlike in the past when top leaders would be in attendance. Mathadi leaders alleged that they had only received hollow promises from them at the earlier meets.
The meet, held at Mathadi Bhavan in Turbhe, was organised by the Maharashtra Rajya Mathadi, Transport and General Kamgar Union, the largest of the mathadi unions founded by Annasaheb Patil. The mathadis (head loaders) primarily work in the state APMCS and form a substantial vote bank for political parties. Speaking at the meet, former MLC Narendra Patil, who is the general secretary of the union and Annasaheb Patil’s son, declared “Political leaders come every year to our meetings and make several promises. Nothing materialises later. Referring to the proposed amendments in the mathadi act, he added, “Why is the government taking a position against mathadis? The media needs to question Fadnavis, Shinde, Ajit Pawar and others, who attend mathadi meets but are never around when mathadis are facing problems.”
Patil, a close associate of Fadnavis, however, declared that
Fadnavis’ leadership in recent times had helped mathadis. “But we need to fight this together, as we are facing tough times,” he said. “For the last several years, anti-social elements have infiltrated the mathadi movement and goondaism is rife. There is also a lot of corruption in the mathadi board. The labour department exerts pressure on the chairman to make decisions that are not in the interest of mathadis.”
MLC Shashikant Shinde, working president of the union, said that they had succeeded in ensuring that the proposed amendments to the Mathadi Act would not be implemented until mathadis, who had been included in a special committee, were taken into confidence. “We are hopeful the government will act in our interest,” he said.