There appears to be a proverbial calm before the storm in Maharashtra's political and social scene as the series of peaceful mega rallies, and meetings of the Maratha community continues to gain momentum.
The Maratha Kranti morchas do not have any face or a leader, but it is the mobilisation by the community. These morchas, which are being held in district headquarters in a phased manner, have been completely peaceful. The campaign is taking the shape of the Jat agitation in Haryana and Patel agitation in Gujarat.
Significantly, both the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance government and principal Opposition parties Congress and NCP have been shaken by the rallies, so much so that now, the Maratha leaders of all the parties have been taking part in the rallies. This has come as a litmus test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is from the Brahmin community.
So far, more than 20 rallies have been held and these have seen a major participation by youth and women. The three main demands are reservations for the Marathas in jobs and education and justice for the girl of the Maratha community who was raped and brutalised at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district on July 13 this year, besides seeking amendments in the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying it is often being misused.
To add to it, the Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi have come out in open demanding reservation in jobs for the Muslims. On the other hand, BJP MP Nana Patole has demanded scholarship to Other Backward Class (OBC) students and a separate department for OBC welfare.
It may be mentioned that a section of the Maratha community was also against the state government's decision to award the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan to historian Babasaheb Purandare, who belongs to the Brahmin community.
Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, has supported the Maratha agitation. "We want to resolve the issue, we are together," he said, adding that he would like to contribute in whatever way he could.
The rallies have rattled Fadnavis the most and this was evident when he recently said: "I am not worried about how long I stay as the chief minister. but till the time I am the chief minister, I will continue to work for development."
The Congress and NCP, finding a chance to target him, asked Fadnavis to reveal why he had said so when neither the Opposition nor the rally organisers made any such demand.
"My government is honestly committed to providing reservation to Marathas. I assure you that an amicable solution will be found out with the help of all...apart from reservation, we are solving problems faced by the Maratha community by (promoting) financial empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship," Fadnavis said. The Congress and NCP may use the agitation politically in local body elections next year.
The Maratha Kranti morchas do not have any face or a leader, but it is the mobilisation by the community. These morchas, which are being held in district headquarters in a phased manner, have been completely peaceful. The campaign is taking the shape of the Jat agitation in Haryana and Patel agitation in Gujarat.
Significantly, both the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance government and principal Opposition parties Congress and NCP have been shaken by the rallies, so much so that now, the Maratha leaders of all the parties have been taking part in the rallies. This has come as a litmus test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is from the Brahmin community.
So far, more than 20 rallies have been held and these have seen a major participation by youth and women. The three main demands are reservations for the Marathas in jobs and education and justice for the girl of the Maratha community who was raped and brutalised at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district on July 13 this year, besides seeking amendments in the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying it is often being misused.
To add to it, the Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi have come out in open demanding reservation in jobs for the Muslims. On the other hand, BJP MP Nana Patole has demanded scholarship to Other Backward Class (OBC) students and a separate department for OBC welfare.
It may be mentioned that a section of the Maratha community was also against the state government's decision to award the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan to historian Babasaheb Purandare, who belongs to the Brahmin community.
Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, has supported the Maratha agitation. "We want to resolve the issue, we are together," he said, adding that he would like to contribute in whatever way he could.
The rallies have rattled Fadnavis the most and this was evident when he recently said: "I am not worried about how long I stay as the chief minister. but till the time I am the chief minister, I will continue to work for development."
The Congress and NCP, finding a chance to target him, asked Fadnavis to reveal why he had said so when neither the Opposition nor the rally organisers made any such demand.
"My government is honestly committed to providing reservation to Marathas. I assure you that an amicable solution will be found out with the help of all...apart from reservation, we are solving problems faced by the Maratha community by (promoting) financial empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship," Fadnavis said. The Congress and NCP may use the agitation politically in local body elections next year.
There appears to be a proverbial calm before the storm in Maharashtra’s political and social scene as the series of peaceful mega rallies, and meetings of the Maratha community continues to gain momentum.
The Maratha Kranti morchas do not have any face or a leader, but it is the mobilisation by the community. These morchas, which are being held in district headquarters in a phased manner, have been completely peaceful. The campaign is taking the shape of the Jat agitation in Haryana and Patel agitation in Gujarat.
Significantly, both the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance government and principal Opposition parties Congress and NCP have been shaken by the rallies, so much so that now, the Maratha leaders of all the parties have been taking part in the rallies. This has come as a litmus test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is from the Brahmin community.
So far, more than 20 rallies have been held and these have seen a major participation by youth and women. The three main demands are reservations for the Marathas in jobs and education and justice for the girl of the Maratha community who was raped and brutalised at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district on July 13 this year, besides seeking amendments in the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying it is often being misused.
To add to it, the Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi have come out in open demanding reservation in jobs for the Muslims. On the other hand, BJP MP Nana Patole has demanded scholarship to Other Backward Class (OBC) students and a separate department for OBC welfare.
It may be mentioned that a section of the Maratha community was also against the state government’s decision to award the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan to historian Babasaheb Purandare, who belongs to the Brahmin community.
Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, has supported the Maratha agitation. "We want to resolve the issue, we are together,” he said, adding that he would like to contribute in whatever way he could.
The rallies have rattled Fadnavis the most and this was evident when he recently said: "I am not worried about how long I stay as the chief minister. but till the time I am the chief minister, I will continue to work for development.”
The Congress and NCP, finding a chance to target him, asked Fadnavis to reveal why he had said so when neither the Opposition nor the rally organisers made any such demand.
"My government is honestly committed to providing reservation to Marathas. I assure you that an amicable solution will be found out with the help of all...apart from reservation, we are solving problems faced by the Maratha community by (promoting) financial empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship,” Fadnavis said. The Congress and NCP may use the agitation politically in local body elections next year.
The Maratha Kranti morchas do not have any face or a leader, but it is the mobilisation by the community. These morchas, which are being held in district headquarters in a phased manner, have been completely peaceful. The campaign is taking the shape of the Jat agitation in Haryana and Patel agitation in Gujarat.
Significantly, both the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance government and principal Opposition parties Congress and NCP have been shaken by the rallies, so much so that now, the Maratha leaders of all the parties have been taking part in the rallies. This has come as a litmus test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is from the Brahmin community.
So far, more than 20 rallies have been held and these have seen a major participation by youth and women. The three main demands are reservations for the Marathas in jobs and education and justice for the girl of the Maratha community who was raped and brutalised at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district on July 13 this year, besides seeking amendments in the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying it is often being misused.
To add to it, the Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi have come out in open demanding reservation in jobs for the Muslims. On the other hand, BJP MP Nana Patole has demanded scholarship to Other Backward Class (OBC) students and a separate department for OBC welfare.
It may be mentioned that a section of the Maratha community was also against the state government’s decision to award the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan to historian Babasaheb Purandare, who belongs to the Brahmin community.
Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, has supported the Maratha agitation. "We want to resolve the issue, we are together,” he said, adding that he would like to contribute in whatever way he could.
The rallies have rattled Fadnavis the most and this was evident when he recently said: "I am not worried about how long I stay as the chief minister. but till the time I am the chief minister, I will continue to work for development.”
The Congress and NCP, finding a chance to target him, asked Fadnavis to reveal why he had said so when neither the Opposition nor the rally organisers made any such demand.
"My government is honestly committed to providing reservation to Marathas. I assure you that an amicable solution will be found out with the help of all...apart from reservation, we are solving problems faced by the Maratha community by (promoting) financial empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship,” Fadnavis said. The Congress and NCP may use the agitation politically in local body elections next year.