Maratha outfits call for statewide 'bandh' over reservation issue on October 10

The Maratha community has once again become aggressive over the reservation issue and has called for a statewide ‘bandh’ on October 10 in Maharashtra. The Maratha outfits will be protesting against the Uddhav Thackeray government for “failing” to legally sustain the quota for Marathas in the Supreme Court. 

The decision was taken on Wednesday at a round table conference organised by Maratha Arakshan Action Samiti (MAAC) in Kolhapur. Nearly 50 Maratha outfits participated in the round table conference and decided to call a statewide ‘bandh’. 

The stay order on the implementation of reservation for the Maratha community by the Supreme Court has upset the community and sparked protests across Maharashtra. In the round-table conference, 15 resolutions were passed in the interest of the Maratha community. 

The resolutions state the demands of Maratha community. The Maratha outfit has given the state government till October 9 to accept their demands or else a statewide ‘bandh’ will be launched on October 10. 

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a measure to satisfy the demands of students and youth from the Maratha community. Ashok Chavan, chairman of the cabinet sub-committee formed by the state government to tackle the Maratha reservation issue, informed that the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet has decided to extend the benefit of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota of 10 per cent to Maratha community. 

The Maratha organisations have carried out several agitations across the state expressing their displeasure over the SC’s decision to stay the implementation of 16 per cent reservation for Maratha community in government jobs and education. The apex court has referred the matter to a larger bench. 

On Monday, the Maratha outfits protested in Solapur city and district against the state and central government to press their demands for the reservation. The Maharashtra government has also filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking a vacation of the interim stay order on the implementation of Maratha reservation.