Amid Maratha stir PM to attend IIT-B function

MUMBAI: In the backdrop of the ongoing Maratha reservation protests in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend a convocation ceremony at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay on August 11.

The Chhava organisation, which has been protesting aggressively for Maratha reservation, has already declared that they would not allow Mr Modi to attend programmes in the state.

Keeping in view the protests, security arrangements would be tightened as Maratha organisations may try to meet Mr Modi to seek his intervention over their demands, related to grant of reservation to Maratha community.

IIT-B completed its diamond jubilee in March this year and its 56th convocation ceremony will take place on August 11 in the presence of Mr Modi, for which preparations are in full swing. State government authorities and intelligence officials have confirmed the event and they have begun ramping up the security arrangements considering the Maratha stir. Though the elite SPG (Special Protection Group) handles the overall security arrangement, state and intelligence agencies have been put on a high alert, said senior officers.

The Chhava organisation last week in Latur declared that, it would not allow Mr Modi’s programmes in the state. Moreover, Sakal Maratha Samaj and other organisations have started the ‘Jail Bharo’ agitations in Mumbai and across the state. As Maratha stir is expected to continue the security agencies are worried that these organisations will plan agitations near Mr Modi’s programme venue and make demands to meet him for giving memorandum, which would create security issues, sources revealed.

Meanwhile, according to government sources, if Mr Modi decides to go to Pakistan for the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister, then the IIT-B programme may get postponed.