Aurangabad, May 5:
The first-ever Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) was taken out in the city on August 9, 2016, in protest against Kopardi incident in Ahmednagar. The whole State followed the example of silence and discipline maintained in Morcha.
Members of the community took out 58 morchas in different parts of the State seeking justice to Kopardi incident victim and Maratha reservation. The notice of the historical morchas was taken everywhere. Aurangabad was the centre point for the reservation struggle, which took place from local to capital (Delhi) level.
There was a tight Police bandobast in the city on Wednesday because of possible tension after the Supreme Court delivered judgment about Maratha reservation.
The heavy police force was deployed at different places, including Cannought Place, Pundliknagar, Kranti Chowk, Gulmandi, Cidco-Hudco. Except Kranti Chowk, the situation was peaceful.
The community members held many State meetings for the reservation. All words uttered by the community representatives in the city were accepted in the State.
The city was also in the limelight because of the meeting held here by the petitioners of the reservation.
The community was shocked over the sacrifice of Kakasaheb Shinde at Kaigaon for the cause of reservation.
Later, 40 youths too gave their life to draw the attention of the Government towards reservation.
‘Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha’ slogan became historical for Maratha Kranti Muk Morcha.
The first silent Morcha was taken out in the city on Kranti Din
(9 August 9,2016) between Kranti Chowk to the divisional commissionerate.
Lakhs of community members hit the street. A total of five girls submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner.
The agitations continued in 2017 and 2018 years, intensifying the struggle for the reservation.
With increasing unrest among community members, Maratha Kranti Morcha taken out in Tuljapur turned into ‘Thok Morcha. The community members staged sit-in agitation at Parli. This spread across the State.
The members became aggressive again. The agitators also raised other demands, including a hostel in every district for girls of the community, sufficient financial assistance to Annasaheb Patil Mahamandal, each educated youth should be given a loan of Rs 6 lakh for employment.
MKM took various morchas and staged rasta-roko from 2016 to today for the demands.