Maharashtra bandh after youth’s suicide during Maratha reservation stir

The Maratha Kranti Morcha-called statewide Maharashtra Bandh is underway on Tuesday, July 24, following a shocking incident of suicide on Monday in Aurangabad, by a youth demanding reservations for the Maratha community. The call for the bandh excluded the districts of Mumbai, Pune, Satara and Solapur. Notably, over a million devotees are presently gathered in Pandharpur in Solapur District at the famed temple of Lord Vitthal and his consort Rukmini.

Kakasaheb Dattatreya Shinde, 28, hailing from Kaanad village in Aurangabad district, had jumped into the River Godavari in Aurangabad on Monday, July 23, over his demand for reservations for the Maratha community, but subsequently drowned, officials said.

On Monday afternoon, during 'jal samadhi agitation' demanding reservations from the government by various Maratha groups at Kaigaon in Sillod, Shinde suddenly leaped into the river. Despite his own efforts and by rescue teams which followed soon afterward, Shinde failed to survive the plunge in the raging river energised by the severe spell of monsoon in recent weeks.

The incident came a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis bowed out from performing the customary official puja at the Pandharpur Temple on the auspicious 'Ashadi Ekadashi' day.

On Sunday, July 22, at the last minute, Fadnavis decided against leading the puja celebrations scheduled for Monday, July 21 following widespread protests and threats by various Maratha community associations and groups demanding reservations for the community. India Today had reported that Maratha leaders had threatened that they would not allow the CM to perform the pooja at Pandharpur.

Ultimately CM Fadnavis performed the puja at his official residence ‘Varsha’ in south Mumbai. Senior Marathi journalist Nikhil Wagle noted that former Shiv Sena Chief Minister Manohar Joshi had also been prevented once from performing puja at Pandharpur, considered important for a Maharashtra CM, and that Joshi subsequently lost power. "Puja at Pandharpur is considered important for Maharashtra CM. Devendra Fadnavis will not perform it tomorrow as Maratha organisations decided to oppose. In 1997 CM Manohar Joshi faced same situation after Ramabai Nagar firing. He lost power in 1999," tweeted Wagle.

On Monday evening, Shinde's family refused to take his body even as various groups demanded Fadnavis' resignation and staged roadblocks outside Kaigaon (Aurangabad), Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur and pelting tomatoes at an effigy of Fadnavis in Thane.

Even as the bandh is underway, the Aurangabad administration announced that the state government has accepted most of the demands of Maratha Kranti Morcha. Aurangabad District Magistrate Uday Choudhary was quoted by ANI as saying "We'll provide ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh to the kin of youth who drowned in river. His brother will be given a government job," adding that "report for the demand for reservation will be sent to government shortly".

However, ANI reported that Maratha Kranti Morcha workers continued their protest over Shinde's death and for reservation for Maratha community in government jobs and education.

"So after Kashmir Valley and Gujarat and Haryana and at so many places, now internet services in Aurangabad region of Maharashtra are suspended. Maratha Kranti Morcha has given call of Maharashtra Bandh. Digital India Zindabad!", tweeted Marahti journalist Amey Tirodkar.

Various Maratha groups have also announced Maharashtra shutdown on August 9—celebrated as August Kranti Day—to intensify the agitation for reservations going on since nearly four years. The issue of Maratha reservations also figured prominently during the Monsoon Session of Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur last week.

With IANS inputs.