Rumblings in Maratha outfit over 'chakka jam' agitation in Maharashtra

PUNE: Cracks appear to be emerging in the Maratha Kranti Morcha as its state coordinator, Abasaheb Patil, on Tuesday agreed to withdraw the agitation till November 30 while the outfit's district coordinators remained firm on the August 9 'chakka jam' in the state.
Patil, who has been spearheading the sit-in agitation at Parli Vaijanath in Beed district for the last 21 days, made the announcement after the revenue officials gave him in writing that the government was committed to addressing the issue by November.
Bhanudas Jadhav, who was camping at Parli tehsil office with Patil, told TOI that the officials held a meeting with Patil and communicated the government's resolve.
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However, the status report on the Maratha reservation submitted by the government in the Bombay high court on Tuesday appears to have failed to cut much ice with the other Maratha Kranti Morcha leaders.
"Entire Maratha community would be on roads blocking the thoroughfares - from village pathways to national highways - in their respective areas,'' said Uday Gavare, Latur Maratha Kranti Morcha coordinator.
"We had demanded that the chief minister give in writing specific details of the government resolve on reservation as well as other demands," he said.
On the Parli agitators'withdrawing their 'thiyya andolan' (sit-in), Gavare said it was limited to Parli. "They did not ask us before staging the sit-in at Parli and they are free to withdraw the protest. We don't agree with them because we had planned the August 9 agitation at the state-level meeting of Maratha Kranti Morcha conveners on July 29."
Gavare, a lawyer by profession, said, "On August 9, between 7 am and 5 pm, entire Maratha community would join the state wide agitation.''
He said the government has submitted only the status report and in turn the high court has asked the agitators not to indulge in violent protests.
"Since there is no ban on peaceful agitation we are going ahead with our August 9 programme,'' he said.
While putting the MLAs and MPs in an awkward position, the agitators have also put a condition before them that they must join the August 9 protest.
"If they don't join us, we will stage a protest against them on August 10," Gavare added.
Abhijit Deshmukh, an NCP leader who is among those leading the agitation in Aurangabad, told TOI that Maratha Kranti Morcha was not satisfied with the CM's verbal assurances.
"We have not taken any decision on withdrawal of 'thiyya andolan' yet. A decision to this effect would be taken at the MKM leaders' meeting in Aurangabad on Wednesday," he added.
Meanwhile, the agitators who were camping along with Patil on the Parli tehsil premises strongly protested against his move to withdraw the stir and and continued with the sit-in.
"The stalemate continued in Parli tehsil office till late at night, with the protesters forcing Patil to sit with them," said Ajit Warpe, a prominent Maratha personality from Beed district.
City schools expect thin
attendance tomorrow: Educational institutions in Aurangabad are likely witness thin attendance on Thursday in the wake of the 'chakka jam'agitation by the Maratha Kranti Morcha.
While no official holiday has been declared by several schools, parents are expected to keep their children at home as a precautionary measure.
Principal Nilima Deshpande of SB High School said, "Technically, it is not possible to declare a holiday on Thursday. However, we expect very low attendance. The students staying in nearby areas of schools could drop in, but those coming from far off areas in vans and buses may stay at home."
Mohsin Ahmed, management representative of Urdu school, said the school authorities as well as parents would be keeping a watch on the situation in the next 24 hours. "The chief minister has announced some concrete steps to see an end to the agitation by Maratha community," he said.