Mumbai: Cracks emerge in Maratha Kranti Morcha as factions become apparent

Wednesday's bandh in Mumbai by Maratha groups for demands such as quotas and the withdrawal of police cases against protestors may have fizzled out, but a divergence of paths seems imminent in the Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM). While some in the MKM favoured a token protest at the suburban district collectorate at Bandra, another faction within MKM had called for the bandh.

"They (the other group) are trying to split (the movement) and acting like government agents. We won't go with them and instead work with like-minded people," said Amol Jadhavrao, co-ordinator, MKM, who was among those who called for the shutdown.

"There are some leaders who push their agenda at the government's behest. The July 25 bandh was withdrawn hastily. A token protest at Bandra would not have helped the cause but a shutdown in Mumbai would have mattered... we will expel this group," charged MKM co-ordinator Kedar Suryavanshi, claiming that the bandh had met with a response.

However, Nanasaheb Kute-Patil, another co-ordinator of the MKM, who was among those who backed the token protest instead of a bandh, said, "It is their wish. Let them say what they want to. They are young and will take time to mature."

Kute-Patil said all battles could not be fought aggressively and had to be dealt with at an ideological level. "However, our goals are the same," he added. The leaders of this group said they had decided against the bandh after the Bombay High Court (HC) asked the community to refrain from violence or from committing suicide.

A source said existing differences were accentuated after Virendra Pawar, an MKM co-ordinator and son of Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Mahasangh chief Shashikant Pawar, had withdrawn the July 25 bandh after reports of violence, which was resented by oth ers in MKM. "We called off plans for Wednesday's bandh after reports that violence was likely in Mumbai," he admitted.