Sakal Maratha Morcha protesters to hit Mumbai Metropolitan Region today

Maratha protesters in Karad, during the protest rally through the state on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The agitating Maratha community will observe a bandh in the Mumbai metropolitan region and neighbouring districts, on Wednesday, a day after considerably paralysing the rest of the state with its agitation.

The organisers, Sakal Maratha Morcha, said the protest would be peaceful and they would ensure that essential services, schools, colleges and hospitals were not affected in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar districts and Navi Mumbai.

A meeting to this effect was held at Shivaji Mandir on Tuesday. A statement issued by the Maratha Kranti Morcha said their fight was against the government and not the common people, who have stood with them in the past two years. A resolution was made to condemn Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for making an insulting remark against the community, about them planning to sabotage the Pandharpur pilgrimage, which the chief minister had skipped. The Sakal Maratha Morcha has asked the CM to tender an apology.

The protests, which were exemplary in the way they were conducted, turned violent on Monday when a youth Kakasaheb Shinde committed suicide by jumping in the Godavari river near Aurangabad. A statewide bandh was observed on Tuesday in which roads were blocked, train traffic disrupted and sit-in held.

Shinde was cremated on Tuesday amid protests in his village Saygaon near Aurangabad. Fadnavis condoled Shinde's death and announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to his family. The police officers found responsible for not averting Shinde's suicide have been suspended.

Breaking his silence, NCP boss Sharad Pawar said in a statement, on Tuesday, that the CM's 'irresponsible' statements and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil's remarks (paid protesters created a problem) was majorly responsible for the Maratha unrest.

Sena, Opposition join in
To make things worse, the Shiv Sena and Opposition parties have supported the demand. As the Sena has joined in, the organisation is likely to get a boost for its bandh in MMR.

The Congress demanded Fadnavis's resignation, holding him responsible for the violence. "The CM's intimidating remarks against the community and inordinate delay in giving a quota is responsible for turning the protests into violence," said Opposition leader in the Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. The Communist Party of India (M), too, supported Marathas in their demand. The NCP has also backed the protest, with its leader Dhananjay Munde anchoring a sit-in at Parli, Beed district.

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