Impact of the Maratha Reservation Movement on Maharashtra in 2024: Editorial from SS(UBT)
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Mumbai, Jan 1 (NationPress) Shiv Sena (UBT) published a critical editorial in its publication ‘Saamna’ on Wednesday, directing strong criticism towards the BJP-led Central Government and the MahaYuti coalition in Maharashtra. The editorial highlighted the brutal murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, the death of Somnath Suryavanshi in Parbhani, and the disrespect towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It asserted that the Maratha reservation movement had a significant impact on the state throughout 2024.
“To encapsulate the previous year in a single line, it would be described as 'a year of the massacre of democracy,'” the editorial stated.
“In Maharashtra, the Maratha reservation movement profoundly affected the state in 2024. To quell this movement, the government attempted to incite tensions among other communities, resulting in a considerable social rift within the villages. The year concluded with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s insult to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the suspicious death of a young protestor named Somnath Suryavanshi, and the horrific murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Marathwada’s Massajog area.
“Post this violence, the lawlessness in Beed district was laid bare for all to see. Although Walmik Karad, the person implicated in the extortion case linked to this murder, surrendered on the final day of 2024, the state's home department appeared incompetent,” it remarked.
“As the 2024 calendar was taken down and replaced by that of 2025, time moved on; however, the transformations and events from the past year that affected the populace and the state are worthy of reflection.
“The year 2024 was marked by the general elections in India! These elections were celebrated yet controversial. While the Bharatiya Janata Party boasted of a 'Charso Paar (400 plus)' victory, they fell short of a majority in the Lok Sabha despite a questionable shift in voting percentages. Narendra Modi returned as Prime Minister, supported by Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, but the Lok Sabha outcomes have hindered the BJP's ambitions,” the editorial noted.
“The BJP, which leveraged Lord Ram for electoral gains, neglected the objections from religious leaders and partially inaugurated the Ram temple under Prime Minister Modi’s auspices before the Lok Sabha elections. Nonetheless, the people of Ayodhya delivered a lesson to the BJP, leading to a significant defeat in the Faizabad constituency. This incident stands out as a major highlight of 2024.
“Subsequently, Assembly elections occurred in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The ruling parties manipulated vote counts during the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections with the assistance of the Election Commission. This manipulation resulted in the unexpected defeat of opposition candidates who were presumed to be victors, while ruling party candidates, anticipated to lose their deposits, emerged victorious,” it reported.
“The BJP leveraged last-minute voting spikes to secure wins in Haryana and Maharashtra, allegedly through the misuse of EVMs. Nevertheless, considerable discontent brewed among voters in the villages of both states regarding these outcomes. This discontent led to the village of Markadwadi in Solapur district attempting to conduct a mock poll using ballot papers rather than EVMs, a plan thwarted by the government and the Election Commission.
“In a bid to prevent electoral fraud from being exposed, police force was employed to obstruct the Markadwadi villagers from casting their votes. Similar incidents unfolded at hundreds of polling booths across Maharashtra and Haryana.
“As the issue of electoral fraud escalated to the Supreme Court, the government altered regulations to keep CCTV footage and other relevant details under wraps. The year bore witness to a blatant massacre of democracy in broad daylight. 2024 will be forever remembered as the year when such scandals eroded the public’s trust in the electoral process,” it concluded.
The editorial further remarked, “The year 2024 imparted valuable lessons to the country’s opposition parties. In the coming year, these parties must devise a comprehensive strategy to confront the oppressive power that is misusing government resources and constitutional institutions to steer the nation towards authoritarianism. Observing the previous year’s oppression in neighboring countries, a similar uprising in India may not be far off,” it wrapped up.
