Maratha Kranti Morcha

Series of silent protests organized by the Maratha community
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Maratha Kranti Morcha
Native name मराठा क्रांती मोर्चा
LocationWorldwide
Also known asमराठा क्रांती (मूक) मोर्चा
Organised byMaratha Community

The Maratha Kranti Morcha, loosely translated as "Maratha revolutionary demonstration" in the Marathi language, is a series of silent and pragmatic protests organized by the Maratha community in various cities across India as well as overseas. Other groups, such as religious minorities including Muslims, have also supported the Morcha.[1] The impetus for the rallies was the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Kopardi village, Maharashtra, on 13 July 2016.[2] The protesters have demanded the death sentence for the rapists. Maratha caste dominate the power and cultural structure in Maharashtra owing to their numerical strength.[3]

The rallies feature no leaders and no slogans. Millions of people from all parts of Maharashtra came together to protest, and initially no harm was done to any public or private property until a few instances of violence were noted in January 2017.[4]

The demand for reservations in educational positions and government jobs has also been a part of these protests. Recently, the Bombay High Court upheld the reservations granted to the Maratha community but also mentioned that the percentage of quotas given wasn't justifiable.[5] Supreme court later, however quashed the Maratha community reservations.[6] A large percentage of Marathis are farmers, and the community has been severely affected by droughts and degraded arable land. Due to the lack of reservations, unemployment has become a major problem in the Maratha community. Some castes within the Maratha community, known as Kunbi, do receive the benefits of reservations provided to the Other Backward Class category; however, most people are allegedly out of benefits.

Demands in 2016

Influencing factors

Social media

Social

Political

Judicial

Silent protests in 2016

9 August 2016 -Aurangabad

[14] 30 August 2016- Beed[15]

18 September 2016 - Akola

21 September 2016 – Navi Mumbai[16][17]

23 September 2016 – Ahmednagar[18]

25 September 2016 – Pune[19][20]

25 September 2016 – Yavatmal[21]

25 September 2016 – Washim[21]

26 September 2016 – Saint Petersburg[22]

27 September 2016 – Sangli[23][24]

28 September 2016 – Dhule[25]

2 October 2016 – Hyderabad[26]

3 October 2016 – Dubai

9 October 2016 – Tweet Morcha[27]

9 October 2016 – Daman district, India[28]

9 October 2016 – Badlapur[29][30]

15 October 2016 – Kolhapur[31]

16 October 2016 – Thane[32][33]

16 October 2016 – Chiplun[34]

16 October 2016 - New York City[35]

19 October 2016 – Chandrapur[36]

19 October 2016 – Bidar, Karnataka[37]

9 August 2017 – Mumbai[38][39][40]

The Maratha Kranti Morcha carried out its biggest silent protest in the financial capital of India, Mumbai, on 9 August 2017. Around half a million members of the Maratha community from different parts of the state gathered in Mumbai. The protest started from Jijamata Zoo Byculla and culminated at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Schools, junior colleges, and about 450 institutes in South Mumbai remained shut. Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas took the day off to participate in the morcha.[41]

During this silent protest, leaders from the Maratha community also warned that they would switch to violent tactics after two weeks in case the state authorities chose not to act on their demands.[42]

Gallery 2016

Violence

January 2017

Road blockades (chakka jams) were held on 31 January 2017 to gather momentum and mount pressure on the state government before the community’s silent rally scheduled in Mumbai on 6 March 2017.

31 January 2017 – Mumbai[43] and across Maharashtra[44]

July 2018

On 23 July 2018, a Maratha Kranti Morcha activist committed suicide; the protesters refuse to collect the body and demanded the resignation of Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Kakasaheb Shinde-Patil, aged 28 committed suicide by jumping into the Godavari river during agitations at the village of Kaygaon Toka in the [[Gangapur, Maharashtra |Gangapur]] taluka of Aurangabad District. The protesters blamed the district administration for not deploying boats and lifeguards despite being forewarned about the agitations.[47]

On 24 July 2018, protests turned violent; protesters attacked police officers and torched buses, police vehicles, and private cars.[48]

25 July 2018 – Mumbai,[49] Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Thane, Kalyan, Palghar, Raigad

August 2018

Maratha groups announced a shutdown across Maharashtra on August Kranti Day 2018 to intensify agitation for reservations. August Kranti Day is celebrated annually on 9 August. The Marathas launched a non-cooperation movement against the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India. The non-cooperation movement covers non-payment of taxes to government and local bodies until reservations are implemented.[65][66]

Impact in 2016

After continuously growing protests in each city and millions of people's participation in each Maratha Kranti Morcha, on 13 October 2016 the Government of Maharashtra took the decisions to:[67] and

As the Bombay high court had stayed the 16% reservation granted to Marathas in government jobs and educational positions on the grounds that the data used by the government was faulty, the Government of Maharashtra on 5 December 2016 filed a 2,800-page affidavit to justify the reservations for Marathas as legal and show that it did not violate constitutional provisions. The affidavit contained documents substantiating the claim that the community is socially and educationally backward.[68]

Silent protests in 2023

Manoj Jarange-Patil, a Maratha quota activist, has been a prominent figure in the Maratha Community's fight for reservation in Maharashtra. He is leading multiple agitations and protests, including dharna and hunger strikes.[69]

Impact in General Election 2024

The threat to the BJP’s hegemony is dire, as caste assertion threatens to break through the Hindutva patina.[70]

The impact of the Maratha agitation is such that two MPs from Shinde’s Shiv Sena – Hemant Patil and Hemant Godse have announced their resignation from the Lok Sabha in support of the protesters and their demand. BJP MPs openly extended his support to the Maratha community.[71][72][73]

See also

References

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External links

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