Nashik gears up for tomorrow's Maratha rally

NASHIK; Rallies in rural and urban areas with the saffron flag flying high, rounds of meetings overlooking preparations and medical arrangements to tackle emergencies are are building the ground for the Maratha Kranti Morcha scheduled on Saturday.
People across the districts are expected to attend the rally seeking reservation for Maratha community as well as condemn the rape-murder of a minor in Kopardi-village of Ahmednagar.The Maratha Kranti Morcha is expected to be attended by at least 10 lakh people or even more.
"It is a silent march and will not involve any slogan raising. It will only stress on three major demands of the community - action against the culprit in Kopardi-case, scrap the atrocity act and reservation for the Maratha community. The entire morcha will only focus on the demands of the community but nothing against or even for the government. It is to unite people for a common cause so that the future generation gets better chance for education and get better career options," one of the leaders of the community said.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha will be led by children and youngsters and women, which will be followed by the community members. The last to follow would be the leaders of political parties and elected representatives without any link to their respective political parties. "This is the reason none of us are giving our names anywhere," another senior leader and MLA said.
As part of preparations, the Maratha community has got in place more than 20,000 volunteers, who will guide the people from the point of origin to the place of dispersing. These will also be followed by volunteers at the regular intervals. Besides, other groups of the volunteers are racing through the villages, organising rallies and appealing to the masses to join the rally - which will be self-funded.
Major hospitals on the road from Tapovan to the Golf Club grounds have been requested to keep certain numbers of beds reserved for the morcha with the community funding the bill if any person takes ill.
"We expect not only the young, but even the old to trek the route. We have, therefore, contacted the houses along the road and asked them to keep ready all help they can for women - who may need some rest as well," one of the women-leaders of the community said.
Various volunteers providing free water, tea, fruits and other quick energy drinks are also being provided on the way. "The people are coming on their own from all parts of the district. Many have booked the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses from their place to city and back, still others are coming by hired or personal vehicles. There are many who are giving their vehicles - trucks, buses, tempos for the cause with the crowd funding the fuel," another leader said.
There are many others - group of people from few villages - who have decided to prepare 'chivda' and distribute to the people as part of some snacks when they march. This is going to be huge contribution from the society, he added.