Maratha agitation may be revived in Maharashtra
The leaders will soon hold a statewide meeting of all organisers to chart out a plan of action
With no major progress on their demands, Maratha community leaders are considering reviving the agitation.
The leaders will soon hold a statewide meeting of all organisers to chart out a plan of action. The decision was taken after a delegation of Maratha community leaders met state revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, who also heads the ministers’ committee formed for implementing demands of the Maratha community on Tuesday.
“The government is not serious about our demands. It should have fulfilled the rest of the demands, except providing reservation in the past few months,” said Nansaheb Kute Patil, one of the organizers who was part of the delegation.
Patil said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised interest-free loan up to Rs10 lakh for self-employment through Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, a public sector unit that gives grants to entrepreneurs and small businessmen. But the post of chairman is still vacant.
Maratha, a major influential community in Maharashtra has been agitating for reservation in government jobs and education, which could affect political equations in the state. The community protests, which started after the rape and brutal murder of a minor girl from the community at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district on July 13 last year, stirred Maharashtra politics for several months.
After its last rally held in Mumbai in August this year, the CM Fadnavis promised Marathas concession in fees to 605 educational courses, interest-free loans up to Rs10 lakh for self-employment, Rs5 crore to each district for the construction of hostels and setting up of a district-wise committee to decide on cases filed under the Atrocities Act. The government has started providing concession in fees for educational courses by extending income limit of parents of Economically Backward Classes (EBC) for scholarship from Rs2.5 lakh to Rs6 lakh. However, the rest of the demands are yet to be implemented.
A senior official privy to the development said the government has also started a scheme of providing hostel allowances to the students from the community. The Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes has also been asked to give its recommendations and MG Gaikwad has also been appointed as its new head after demise of Sambhajirao Mhase, who was heading the commission so far.