Maratha Aarakshan refers to the demand for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions by the Maratha community in Maharashtra, India. The Marathas are a group of castes comprising peasants and landowners among others, constituting nearly 33% of the states population. Historically, they have been identified as a warrior caste with large land holdings. Most Marathas are engaged in farming activities, and many face farm distress due to low yields from small landholdings and droughts. The Marathas have been demanding reservation for a long time, and the first protest was held 32 years ago by Mathadi Labour Union leader Annasaheb Patil in Mumbai. The Maratha reservation has become an integral part of politics in the state and a cause for mass protests. In 2018, the Maharashtra government granted reservation to the Maratha community in jobs and higher education, but the Supreme Court overruled the decision in May 2021, stating that the Maratha community was not socially and educationally backward. The Maratha Kranti Morcha is a group that has been leading the protests for Maratha reservation.