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Sacked over remarks on former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan, claims Navi Mumbai mathadi leader
The Mathadis (headloaders) stalled work at the wholesale APMC market in Vashi on Wednesday morning following the sacking of their leader Narendra Patil by the state
The Mathadis (headloaders) stalled work at the wholesale APMC market in Vashi on Wednesday morning following the sacking of their leader Narendra Patil by the state government from the cabinet rank post of chairman of Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal. However, the operations resumed after three hours of protests. Patil claimed that he had been sacked over his comments on former chief minister Ashok Chavan who he blamed for not taking up the Maratha community cause effectively. Chavan on the other hand claimed that the Opposition is merely playing politics in the name of reservation.
The onion potato, grains and spices market were affected as the mathadis protested in the market premises. They raised slogans against the state government and in favour of reinstatement of Patil.
Kailash Shinde, a mathadi leader, said, “We condemn the decision of the state government which is politically motivated. The mandal was started by late Balasaheb Thackeray and then revived by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Patil had toured all over the state and was targeting 1 lakh entrepreneurs from the Maratha community that has long been suffering. ”
Narendra Patil who held a press conference in Mumbai on the dismissal of the board of the Mandal, that is named after his late father and much revered Mathadi leader Annsaheb Patil, denied that he had asked for the markets to be shut. The mathadis later resumed work.
Patil said, “Despite relentlessly working for the Mandal since my appointment by the last government, I have been sacked without any intimation. I expected at least some appreciation from the government, I will meet chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and CM Devendra Fadnavis and thank them for the opportunity.”
Patil claimed that the decision to sack him was politically motivated due to his comments on former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation.
He added, “My father who gave up his life for the community and I have been working for the upliftment of the Maratha community. The previous government ensured reservation for us but now Chavan has failed, I had asked for Chavan to be replaced by minister Eknath Shinde to head the committee as Shinde is well versed with the issue and will do a better job. That did not go down well. I have never been after power and was not targeting Chavan for any personal reasons. For me the interest of my community is paramount.”
When contacted Ashok Chavan, he dismissed the allegations of failing on the reservation issue stating, “The same team of lawyers who had taken up the case successfully in the high court during the previous government’s tenure took up the matter in the Supreme Court. Besides we have been coordinating on the issue with various concerned organisations and held several meetings with them.”
Chavan said that they are doing all that can be done and in fact, more than the previous government, to ensure justice to the Maratha community. He remarked, “Those making allegations are only interested in playing politics on the reservation issue.”
