The Sakal Matang community has announced a large rally in Mumbai on September 29, demanding the subdivision of the 13% reservation for Scheduled Castes into four categories. The proposed march will travel from Metro Cinema to Azad Maidan, bringing the issue of reservation subclassification back into public focus in Maharashtra.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Matang legislators and community activists held at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre on Tuesday. The meeting finalised the broad plan for the mobilisation, which is being organised under the banner of the Sakal Matang community.
Legislators Amit Gorkhe, Sunil Kamble and Jitesh Antapurkar attended the meeting along with Professor Machhindra Sakate, former legislator Namdev Sasane, Lahuji Samata Parishad leader Anil Hatgale and Professor Milind Avhad. Coordinators from districts across Maharashtra were also present.
The community has accused the state government of delaying action on the issue. The report said the Justice Badar Committee has submitted its report on subclassification to the government. Around one lakh suggestions and objections have reportedly been received by the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute. A committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has been appointed to conduct hearings on the submissions.
The demand has been building through a series of mobilisations across Maharashtra. According to the report, the Matang community has held 71 rallies and public campaigns since May, including programmes described as the Dांडी campaign and Janakrosh demonstrations. Amit Gorkhe said five lakh members of the Matang community were expected to attend the Mumbai rally.
The Scheduled Caste category in Maharashtra includes 59 communities and has a 13% reservation quota in the state. The demand for subclassification has not received uniform support among communities covered by the quota. The report said Buddhist and Charmakar groups oppose the proposal, while the Matang community and some other groups are seeking a separate distribution of the reservation benefits.
The Matang community has argued that any subdivision should be based on social backwardness. The issue has also generated mobilisation against the proposal, with Buddhist community organisations holding rallies across Maharashtra to register their opposition.
The community’s demand follows a Supreme Court decision that has prompted action on subclassification in Haryana, Telangana and Karnataka, according to the report. The September 29 rally will therefore place pressure on the Maharashtra government to clarify how it intends to proceed with the committee’s hearings, the submissions received and the report already submitted to the administration.
The proposed route from Metro Cinema to Azad Maidan is expected to bring a large gathering into central Mumbai. The organisers’ next stated milestone is the September 29 Mahamorcha, where they intend to press the state government to initiate the subclassification process for Scheduled Caste reservations.
