The call for a bandh (shutdown) in Maharashtra has garnered significant backing from various political parties as tensions surrounding Maratha reservation continue to escalate. Suhas Desai, the head of the city unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Pradeep Shinde, the city president of the Shiv Sena (UBT), have both expressed their support for the Bandh. Leaders of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Ravindra More, and Avinash Jadhav, have also extended their solidarity.
Ramesh Ambre, the city chief of Maratha Kranti Morcha, and Vikrant Chavhan, the city unit president of Congress, have also spoken out in favor of the bandh, highlighting the broad-based support for the protest.
This call for a bandh follows a similar shutdown observed in Pimpri Chinchwad city in Maharashtra's Pune district on September 9. The Pimpri Chinchwad bandh was organized in response to a lathi charge on demonstrators in Jalna district who were demanding Maratha community reservations. The bandh was initiated by the 'Maratha Kranti Morcha.'
Tensions escalated on September 1 when clashes erupted between police and Maratha community protestors demanding reservations. The police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the demonstrators, drawing condemnation from several Opposition leaders. The state government, led by Eknath Shinde, faced criticism for its handling of the incident.
Meanwhile, Manoj Jarange Patil, a coordinator for the Maratha Morcha, has been on a hunger strike for several weeks, continuing to demand Maratha reservations. Despite extensive talks with the Maharashtra government, a breakthrough has not been achieved. Jarange Patil insists on a change in the state government's ordinance regarding Maratha reservations.
The current ordinance states that individuals in Marathwada with Kunbi genealogy will receive a caste certificate as Kunbi Maratha. However, Manoj Jarange Patil insists that the ordinance should be revised to grant Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas, as many lack genealogy documents. Such certificates would categorize Marathas as Other Backward Classes (OBCs), entitling them to OBC reservation benefits in the state.
In response to the ongoing protests, the state government is convening an all-party meeting on Maratha quota in Mumbai today, indicating a willingness to engage in dialogue to address the concerns of the Maratha community regarding reservations.