A 45-year-old Maratha quota activist from Jalna district, Sunil Kawale, hanged himself from a bridge in Mumbai on Wednesday, demanding reservation for his community in education and jobs. He left a suicide note on his shirt, urging the government to implement the Maratha quota.
Kawale was the president of the Maratha Kranti Morcha’s Jalna unit, a group that has been spearheading the agitation for the Maratha reservation. He had participated in several protests and rallies for the cause.
According to the police, Kawale reached the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) bridge around 1 am and climbed up a pole. He tied a rope around his neck and jumped off the pole. He was wearing a white shirt, on which he had written his suicide note in Marathi with a black marker.
The note read: “I am sacrificing my life for the Maratha community. The government should give reservation to the Marathas. Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani.”
The police reached the spot and brought down the body. They also recovered Kawale’s mobile phone and bike from the scene. A case of accidental death has been registered and further investigation is underway.
The police said they also recovered a four-page suicide note from Kawale’s bag which stated that “the Maratha community from Jalna should fight for Maratha reservation.”
Kawale’s family and friends said that he was deeply disturbed by the delay in the implementation of the Maratha quota. They said that he had participated in several protests and rallies for the cause. They also claimed that he had no personal or financial problems.
The Maratha community, which constitutes about 30% of Maharashtra’s population, has been demanding a 16% reservation in education and government jobs. The community claims that it is socially and economically backward and faces discrimination and injustice.
In 2018, the then BJP-led government in Maharashtra passed a law granting reservation to the Marathas under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category. However, the law was challenged in the Bombay High Court and later in the Supreme Court.
In September 2020, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the Maratha quota, saying that it violated the 50% cap on reservations imposed by the Constitution. The court also referred the matter to a larger bench for final decision.
Since then, various Maratha groups have intensified their agitation, demanding that the Centre intervene and restore the quota. They have also threatened to launch a state-wide protest if their demand is not met soon.
Hore’s suicide has sparked anger and grief among the Maratha community. Several political leaders and social activists have expressed their condolences and urged the government to expedite the resolution of the issue.
