In Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra state, thousands of representatives of Matang Samaj took to the streets to demand a separate quota within the reservation system for the Scheduled Castes (SC). Protesters insist that different castes within the SC reservation should receive a share based on their status. They are demanding the swift implementation of sub-classification of reservations.
As a result of the demonstration, the municipal road leading from CSMT in South Mumbai to Metro Cinema was blocked. Many demonstrators lay down on the road, causing traffic disruption. According to organizers, about 50,000 people joined this movement from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and they claim that millions of people arrived in Mumbai from all over Maharashtra. The police had granted permission for the protest at Azad Maidan, but a large number of people also marched on adjacent streets. The Mumbai Police cleared the road and diverted traffic to other routes. Community leaders state that the protests will continue until the government issues a written decision on their demands.
Matang Samaj is seeking to divide the SC reservation into separate groups so that castes that have received little benefit from it so far can also receive a fair share of the reservation. Protesters demand that the Scheduled Castes be divided into classes such as A, B, C, and D, or that categories of underprivileged and beneficiaries be created. They believe this will allow reservation benefits to reach communities that previously received relatively less advantage from it.
These demands from Matang Samaj intensified following a Supreme Court ruling dated August 1, 2024. In its verdict, the court granted states the right to conduct sub-classification among the Scheduled Castes so that reservation benefits reach the most needy castes. Matang Samaj is demanding the implementation of exactly this ruling. Protesters insist on the prompt adoption of a decision by the government. Community leaders emphasize that mere promises are not enough to end the movement; protests will continue until a written decision on their demands is received. Negotiations with the government are currently underway.