Mumbai was engulfed by a 'Maratha storm' on Wednesday as lakhs from the politically powerful community embarked on their first and biggest 'mook morcha' (silent procession) to demand reservations in jobs and education on Wednesday.
The movement started last year, with processions in 57 different cities. The authorities estimated that anywhere between 3,00,000-5,00,000 Marathas walked in solidarity today.
The Quint took to the streets with them to participate in the largest protest rally Mumbai has ever seen in recent history.
Both of us are from Mumbai. Our daughters got good marks in their 12th grade, but could not get into a good college. And such a disaster happened with the Kopardi rape case, but the guilty person has not been punished. We also want our rights. Babasaheb Ambedkar also said that the Constitution should be amenable to change every ten years, but nothing like that has happened. Our politicians have not done anything despite us staging 57 rallies. So here we are, for our final one today.
I am an office boy in Sewri. I took leave today to come and walk with my brothers and sisters. My main demand is for reservations for Marathas; we’ve been asking for 6-7 years. Nowadays it seems everyone except us, even Dalits, get quota is big colleges and government jobs. We should also get these chances in life.Sunil Rane
I’m a college student and spent the last week making these badges which say “Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha” with my friends which you won’t get for sale anywhere. We only have one demand. We want reservations. Our parents’ generation were still better off as farmers or even higher classes. But slowly, due to increased reservation for everyone else, we are left behind. We also want equal treatment.Sagar Gote
This man said he wanted to truly participate in the rally as a silent rally, like it was meant to be. He vowed to walk as long as he could with that sign which demands the Kopardi rapist to be hung swiftly. His friends said, “he’s angry that the focus has shifted only to reservations when justice for the rape victim was how the rallies started, and also include other demands.”
Our main demands are reservation in government jobs. Then, death to the Kopardi rapist. Then, we want the government to acknowledge there is a problem and take steps to make the city safe for women. If this is what it takes, to come out in millions peacefully, we’ll do it.
We are from Rail Maratha organisation. We are here to participate in this protest as well as help the protestors by setting up free water and Parle G stalls. We just wanted to come out today and support our community for their demands, especially justice for the little girl who was raped in Kopardi last year. He’s still not been punished.
We’ve attended at least 20 of the 58 rallies held over the last year together. Our community used to be once respected and gave kings and chief ministers to this state. Now we are possibly worse off than most SC and ST classes. The government has neglected us and over the years we have lost out on so many things, that now the only way we can be equal to everyone else and get the same government jobs and colleges is by reservation.
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