Fadnavis using ‘bamani kawa’ to finish me, quell stir: Jarange-Patil

Maratha quota activist accuses Deputy CM Fadnavis of conspiracy, vows to pursue reservation demand relentlessly, dares Fadnavis to shoot him. BJP criticizes activist's actions.

Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil mounted a scathing attack on deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, accusing him of using Brahmanical tactics to conspire against him and weaken the movement demanding reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Addressing supporters in Antarvati Sarali, his ancestral village in Jalna district, an irate Jarange-Patil vowed to pursue the demand relentlessly and dared Fadnavis to shoot him as he proceeded towards the latter’s Mumbai residence in a cavalcade of cars. The BJP criticised the quota activist strongly and alleged he was operating according to a script prepared by opposition leaders.

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“Fadnavis wants my sacrifice as I am firm on issuing of Kunbi certificates to Maratha community through the implementation of ‘Sage-Soyare’ (close relatives) notification. He conspired to give me poison through intravenous line (IV), and that’s why I removed it. I will now go to his Sagar bungalow. Let him shoot me,” Jarange-Patil told supporters in his village.

The state government on February 20 enacted a legislation providing 10% quota to Marathas, a cluster of castes with numerous, mainly agrarian sub-castes, under a separate category. But Jarange Patil doubted whether this would stand legal scrutiny and reiterated the demand for reservation under the OBC category by making the ‘sage-soyare’ or close relatives (by blood or marriage) of those who already have Kunbi certificates eligible for reservation. Kunbis are categorised as OBC in Maharashtra and state government had issued a draft notification extending reservation benefits to their sage-soyare, which elicited 7 lakh suggestions and objections.

Though chief minister Eknath Shinde has said a final notification would be issued after considering all responses, Jarange-Patil alleged that Shinde was helpless as Fadnavis called the shots in the state. “Fadnavis is using ‘bamani kawa’ (Bramhanicial tactics) to play politics with the Maratha community. He wants to end the influence of the community in the state and create hurdles in implementation of the ‘sage-soyare’ notification. Chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar are helpless before him. Nothing can happen in the state without his wish.”

Jarange-Patil alleged that Fadnavis was the mastermind behind Ajay Baraskar, who recently accused the activist of striking a deal with the government. He also accused two MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP and the spokesperson of CM Shinde of conspiring against him.

Claiming that Fadnavis got angry whenever someone disagreed with him, he said, “Fadnavis first finished Eknath Khadse, later he divided the farmer movement by separating Sada Khot from Raju Shetti. He finished with Dhangar leader Mahadev Jankar who supported the BJP. He forced CM Shinde, DCM Ajit Pawar, former CM Ashok Chavan to defect from their parties.” The activist also accused the BJP of trying to end the influence of all major agrarian communities in the country like Marathas, Jats, and Yadavs.

Declaring that he would march to Fadnavis’ bungalow ‘Sagar’, in Mumbai to pursue the demands, he told his supporters, “Let him shoot me. If I die during the march to Mumbai, you people take my body to Sagar bungalow.” At the insistence of his supporters however, he decided to proceed towards Mumbai in a car, followed by hundreds of his supporters. BJP leaders criticised Jarange-Patil and alleged that he was working at the behest of opposition leaders.

“All the allegations by Jarange-Patil about Fadnavis are baseless and fake. We condemn it. Jarange-Patil should speak with seriousness. Fadnavis as CM gave the Maratha quota and now also, played a crucial role in the new bill for Maratha quota,” said Ashish Shelar, president of Mumbai BJP.

BJP MLC Prasad Lad claimed that Jarange-Patil was upset that Fadnavis first provided a Maratha quota as CM, then ensured a new bill for the same. “He fears that now his importance will be reduced. Jarange-Patil should make it clear whose script he is reading from? Is it a script by ‘Silver Oak’ (NCP leader Sharad Pawar’s residence) or Bhaiyya family of Jalna (NCP leader Rajesh Tope)?” asked Lad.