Agitation for Maratha reservation enters 4th day

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The leader of the opposition in the legislative council, MLC Ambadas Danve, today met the agitators observing the strike to press the demand of granting OBC reservation to Marathas since May 1. They underlined that the Maratha and Kunbi Marathas are the same. Today was the fourth day of the agitation at Kranti Chowk.

So far 42 persons have sacrificed their lives and 58 morchas were taken out to press the demand for the Maratha reservation. The then-state government granted reservation to Marathas under SEBC in 2019, but the Supreme Court cancelled it. Hence the inclusion of the Maratha community in OBC is the last option. To press this demand, the Maratha members Chandrakant Bharat, Suresh Wakade, Satish Vetal, Rekha Vahtule, Divya Patil, Sukanya Bhosle, Manoj Gayake, Ravindra Vahtule along with other activists are observing ‘thiyya andolan’ (sitting agitation) at Kranti Chowk since May 1.

It is learnt that the state government has not taken any cognizance of the agitation. Hence angry women agitators threatened of immolating themselves tomorrow (on May 5) at 5 pm. They alleged that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is knocking doors of the Supreme Court to sustain their government, but is doing nothing for the sake of the Maratha reservation.

Delaying reservation - Danve

MLC Danve accused the Shinde-Fadnavis government of killing time or delaying after the Supreme Court rejected the Maratha reservation petition. The Central and the State Governments feel that the community should not get the reservation. Fadnavis while sitting in opposition had announced that the Marathas will be granted reservation as soon as the BJP government comes into power in the state. He is not fulfilling the assurance, said Danve.