Maratha Kranti Morcha: All you need to know about the protests

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Exactly a year after the first silent march was taken out by Maratha Kranti Morcha in Aurangabad, today's Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai is its 58th and biggest march.

The protestors are mainly demanding reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education and justice for 14-year-old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

How it started

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by Jitendra Shinde, Santosh G Bhaval and Nitin G Bhailume in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. The incidents sparked intense but largely peaceful protests from the Maratha community - to which the girl belonged to.

The protesters hit the street demanding stringent actions against the accused who were from the Dalit community.

Later, the objective of the protests also included the reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education.

Series of protests

The Mumbai protest is the 58th ‘mook morcha’ or silent march being organised by the community. Before this, protests have been held in various cities and towns of the state to grab the attention towards their demands.

Though the protests are generally leaderless, they are organised by an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups, Sakal Maratha Samaj.

Apart from the justice for Kopardi incident and reservation, the group also demands an amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides, and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

The group uses social media tools like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to reach out to the community and gather support.

(With inputs from PTI)