Protesters demanding Maratha reservation blocked buses carrying workers to Chakan MIDC on Tuesday night, approaching the employees to join their demonstration rather than proceeding to their workplaces. The buses were halted at the Chandoli toll booth on the Pune-Nashik highway, leading to vehicle queues and traffic congestion.
Maratha Kranti Morcha had declared a one-day bandh (strike) in the Chakan industrial area on Tuesday, although many companies continued their operations.
In a related development, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange initiated an indefinite fast on Wednesday to press for community quota demands. Before commencing the fast, he stated, "Maharashtra Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) had asked me to wait for 40 days to decide on the Maratha reservation. But he did not act, so I have chosen to begin a hunger strike in my village (Antarwali Sarati)."
Jarange had previously undertaken a hunger strike in September of this year, seeking reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He had called off the protest on September 14, setting a 40-day deadline until October 24 for the government to grant the quota.
