Maratha community held another protest in Maharashtra demanding reservation in education and jobs.
Maratha agitators disrupted road traffic in some parts of Maharashtra on Thursday as part of their statewide protests over reservation demand. Despite an appeal from Maratha community leaders to observe a peaceful bandh, protesters blocked roads and burnt tyres in some places, a police official said.
Traffic was also affected in some parts of Mumbai due to bandh. Protesters took out silent marches in Mumbai's Ghatkopar suburb and in the neighbouring Thane district. A traffic department official said the number of vehicles on National Highway number four (Mumbai-Pune) and on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was significantly less compared to other days.
Though Navi Mumbai, which had witnessed large-scale violence last month during protests, was excluded from the bandh, security was stepped up in the area. Heavy security was deployed on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa Highway near Kalamboli, a police official said.
A call for bandh was given by Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups. Amol Jadhavrao, a leader of Sakal Maratha Samaj, had said yesterday that they would hold a peaceful protest from 8 am to 6 pm today.
Another Maratha faction, however, gave a call to hold a sit-in outside the Mumbai suburban district collector's office.
Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30% of the state's population, have been demanding 16% reservation. Community members had earlier taken out silent marches across the state to highlight their demands, prominent among them being that of reservation.
1. Maharashtra bandh effect in Mumbai
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Scenes from IC Colony in Borivali during Maharashtra bandh: Maratha agitators disrupted road traffic in some parts of Maharashtra today as part of their statewide protests over reservation demand. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
2. Maratha protests in Mumbai
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Scenes in Bandra East's Kherwadi area where protestors are outside the collector's office. A Maratha faction had given a call to hold a sit-in outside the Mumbai suburban district collector's office. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
3. Maratha protest over quota
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Protesters outside the collector's office in Bandra East's Kherwadi area. Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30% of the state's population, have been demanding 16% reservation. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
4. Maharashtra bandh
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Government Law College had a few students in the morning. The authorities had yesterday ordered closure of schools and colleges in some cities, including Pune, fearing violence. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
5. Maharashtra bandh effect in Mumbai
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Scenes outside Churchgate station in Mumbai. Few people were seen standing in a queue for taxi. Despite an appeal from Maratha community leaders to observe a peaceful bandh, protesters blocked roads and burnt tyres in some places, a police official said. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
6. Maharashtra bandh effect in Mumbai
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Scene outside Plaza Cinema in Dadar. Heavy security was deployed across Maharashtra fearing violence during the bandh called by Maratha groups. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
7. Marktes closed in Mumbai during Maharashtra bandh
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Many commercial establishments were closed in Mumbai during Maharashtra bandh on Thursday. A call for bandh was given by Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups, but excluded Navi Mumbai, which had witnessed large-scale violence last month during protests by the community. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
8. Maharashtra bandh effect in Mumbai
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Dadar vegetable market was shut all day. A vegetable seller in Mumbai's Dadar area said the 'bandh' was not forced on them, but they had voluntarily shut down business for the day in support of the cause. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
9. Maharashtra bandh effect in Mumbai
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Sellers in Dadar vegetable market said they had voluntarily shut down business for the day in support of the protest called by Marathas. (Photo: Hemant Padalkar/DNA)
10. Maharashtra bandh
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Maratha Kranti Morcha activists protest in favour of Maratha reservations during Maharashtra bandh, in Mumbai on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)
11. Maratha agitation in Mumbai
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A view of empty state transport bus stand after Maratha morcha called for Maharashtra bandh, in Mumbai on Thursday, August 9, 2018. (Photo: PTI)
12. Maratha agitation
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An empty bus stand in Mumbai during Maharashtra bandh. The 'bandh' is being organised despite Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' assurance that his government was working on providing reservation to Marathas in government jobs and educational institutes, one that is legally sustainable. (Photo: PTI)
