Stage set for mega Maratha morcha

The much-awaited grand Maratha Kranti Morcha - demanding reservations in jobs and education among other things -  for the  Maratha community - is all set to be held in Mumbai on Wednesday.

So far, 57 grand morchas of the politically-strong Maratha community had been held across Maharashtra, however, this would be the first in Mumbai - and a huge turnout is expected.

Mumbai is virtually being turned into a fortress with heavy police bandobast across the metropolis. In the past, such morcha were held in Mumbai's neighboring district of Thane, Palghar and Raigad. A bike rally, however, had been held in Mumbai.  In the past, the Maratha Kranti Morcha, as the organising committee if referred to, had postponed its Mumbai Morcha several times.

Incidentally, the morcha happens at time when the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature is underway.

The Maratha rally comes a day after the 75 anniversary of 1942 Quit India Movement and nearly a week before the 70th anniversary of Independence.

The rally would start at 10 AM from the Ranibaug-Mumbai zoo at Byculla - pass over the JJ Flyover and culminate at the Azad Maidan in South Mumbai off the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

Thereafter a delegation of the Maratha Kranti Morcha would go to the Vidhan Bhavan complex at Nariman Point, where they would meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and hand over a memorandum.

"It is going to be a silent and peaceful Morcha, there would not be any speeches," former chief minister and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane said, adding that the chief minister would be speaking to the delegation.

On its part, the Education department annonuced holiday for all schools and colleges between Dadar and South Mumbai.

In solidarity with the morcha, the Dabbawalas has decided to shut their operations for the day. "We have made necessary arrangements and would ensure that it goes off smoothly," deputy commissioner of police (operations) Rashmi Karandikar, the Mumbai police spokesperson said.

The BMC has set up medical camps and mobile toilets across the route of the Morcha and at Azad Maidan. "We would have 20 mobile toilets in Azad Maida, six medical camps with 20 doctors and one ambulance in each of them," Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, said.

As far as Mumbai police is concerned, over 7,000 police officers and men would be on duty. The Mumbai police and corporation is also coordinating with their counterparts in neighbouring districts of Raigad, Thane and Palghar. There would be police presence in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, Mumbai-Nashik Highway. Security has also been beefed up across the suburban railway stations in Mumbai.  Separate parking space have been created.

The silent marches, that started on 9 August, 2016, have demanded reservations for Marathas in state-run educational institutions and government jobs, minimum support price for farm produce, and amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

DH News Service