Matang Community to Hold ‘Nirdhar Morcha’ in Mumbai on September 29
– MLC Amit Gorkhe-led march seeks sub-classification of SC reservation for equitable access to benefits
Pimpri-Chinchwad : A statewide ‘Nirdhar Morcha’ will be held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Tuesday, September 29, demanding sub-classification of the Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation quota to ensure greater access to education, employment and government job opportunities for the Matang community and other deprived groups.
The march is being organised under the leadership of BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe. Organisers have described it as a major mobilisation seeking implementation of SC reservation sub-classification in Maharashtra. Similar demands for sub-classification have been raised by Matang community organisations across the state in recent months.
According to the organisers, more than 75 marches and agitations have been conducted across Maharashtra on the issue. Representatives of Matang, Madiga, Burud, Charmakar and other communities, along with social organisations, activists, women and youth, are expected to participate in Tuesday’s march.
The main demand is for the SC reservation quota to be divided into sub-categories so that communities considered deprived of adequate benefits receive an appropriate share. The organisers are also seeking equal opportunities in education and employment and fair representation in government recruitment based on the proposed sub-classification.
‘Need to Ensure Equal Access to Reservation Benefits’
Gorkhe said the objective of reservation is to facilitate the overall development of disadvantaged sections, but claimed that some communities within the SC category have not received the expected benefits of reservation.
“Sub-classification is necessary to ensure that no deprived section is left behind in education, employment and government job opportunities,” Gorkhe said, adding that the community had so far pursued the issue through peaceful demonstrations across Maharashtra.
The Supreme Court’s seven-judge Constitution Bench, in its August 2024 judgment in State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh, held that sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes is constitutionally permissible subject to the conditions laid down by the Court.
Maharashtra’s official list currently contains 59 Scheduled Caste entries, including Matang and related names under the SC list.
The organisers have appealed to members of the Matang community and other supporting groups from across Maharashtra to participate in the September 29 march at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
