Maratha outfits gear up for long-haul in Mumbai

PUNE: Maratha outfits in the state have started preparations for a dharna in Mumbai to press for their demand of reservation to the community members.The move comes in view of the December 24 deadline set by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange for the state government to give quota to the community members. “Apart from gathering the volunteers, we have also arranged pick-up vans to transport community members to Mumbai,” state coordinator of Maratha Kranti Morcha Manohar Wadekar told TOI.He said, “We have started collecting groceries for the volunteers to prepare food for the members during the dharna. Some members have made arrangements of tents too.”Similar arrangements are underway in Baramati tehsil. “We are creating awareness among the community members and appealing to them to respond to Jarange’s call to go to Mumbai in large numbers,” Nana Satav, member of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, told TOI.Jarange has called a meeting at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna on December 17 to discuss the future course of action after December 24. “We are selecting leaders to travel to Antarwali Sarati,” Ashish Jagtap, one of the office-bearers of Maratha Kranti Morcha from Baramati told TOI.