Far away from the media glare in New Delhi and Mumbai, lakhs of angry people are coming out and protesting silently in the streets of interior Maharashtra. Yes, lakhs of them!

These are members of the Maratha community: The most populous and politically influential group in the state. They are united and protesting in a number of cities, against the brutal gang rape of a minor girl in Ahmednagar district in July this year.

The gang rape may have been the trigger, but the issue of reservation for the Marathas, which was scrapped within a year of its implementation, is the main reason behind the outpouring of displeasure, say experts.

After Ahmednagar, a silent march was carried out in neighbouring Aurangabad. Osmanabad and Jalgaon followed. A protest rally in Beed saw over three lakh participants, most of them youngsters and women.

Similar rallies have been planned in Latur, Parbhani, Solapur, Amravati and many other districts. The final rally will be held in Mumbai. Encouraged by the growing response in every rally, the ‘Maratha Kranti Morcha’ plans to get 20 lakh protesters on the roads of Mumbai this month!

The massive crowds have made everyone sit up and think. Why are the Maratha youth so angry? Is this an alarm bell for Fadnavis government, which is perceived as a non-Maratha regime? Does the NCP tacitly support these marches? Will these rallies widen existing caste fault lines in Maharashtra?