The Maratha Kranti Sangharsh Morcha on Sunday undertook a bike rally to highlight their demand for reservation in jobs and education for the community. This is the first rally in the state since the Supreme Court rejected the Gaikwad Commission report allowing reservation for the Maratha community.
The bike rally set off from Somaiya Grounds to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus saw community members turnout with fancy bikes and expensive cars. Currently there are level 3 restrictions in Mumbai on account of the Covid pandemic and gatherings are prohibited. The police turned the bikers back immediately on reaching CSMT. Rajan Ghag, convener MKSM said the rally was for their fellow brethren in rural Maharashtra who are socially, educationally and economically backward.
“Ever since the agitation began, we’ve held 58 morchas across the state one in every district. In 2017, all the districts together held a rally in Mumbai, but the Mumbai district wing has so far not held a rally and hence we decided to hold it today,” said Ghag.
BJP leader and MLC Prasad Lad who was at the Somaiya Grounds said the rally was to awaken a sleeping government. “We want to warn the government not to hatch any conspiracy against the community else it will have to pay the price for it. If the five crore Marathas take to the street it will shake those in power,” he said. Lad’s office claimed he has been receiving threats for his aggressive stand.
Ghag said the Std X and XII results would be out next month and the students of his community would lose out on opportunities as even the reservations under socially and economically backward communities (SEBC) has been cancelled for the Marathas.
“All this has happened because the present government could not present the Gaikwad Commission report properly in court,” he said.
Surjitt Sahani
