Pacify Marathas, Centre tells CM Devendra Fadnavis

Concerned that the Maratha unrest in the state should not go the way of the Patel or Jat agitations, the Centre has asked chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take some initiatives to pacify the community. The CM met Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the issue of Maratha unrest and overall law and order situation in the backdrop of the surgical strikes carried out in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The state has witnessed more than 10 Maratha rallies in various districts and the final rally has been planned in Mumbai after Diwali. All political parties, including BJP have supported the rallies. Some prominent leaders, including NCP’s Ajit Pawar (in Pune), Congress state president Ashok Chavan (in Nanded) and BJP state president Raosaheb Danve (in Marathwada region) participated in the rallies in their respective districts.

The participation of a few lakh people in every rally has surprised many political organisations. However, the government has remained silent on the issue.

The sources in BJP said the CM gave a report to the Centre about the ongoing Maratha rallies and their demands. “The Centre is concerned that Maratha agitations should not go the way of the Patel or Jat agitations, which damaged the party image. The Centre wanted the state to have some strategy to pacify the irked community,” the sources said.

The Maratha community has been demanding reservation in education and jobs and amendment in the Atrocity Act. The reservation issue is pending before the court while the government has so far not taken any step towards changing the Atrocity Act.

The BJP leaders who are in favour of the Maratha community said the government has to take some initiatives. “It is high time the government acts on the issue. Next year, the state will have local body polls in which the party might face trouble due to the ongoing agitations. The government should speak to the agitators and start working on their demands.

The government’s silence will intensify the issue further and the situation might not remain under control,” a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

The Maratha agitation has no face or leader so far. The people of respective districts drive the protests.