In a significant development, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has levelled grave accusations against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis in relation to the recent Maratha quota protest within the state.
Patole alleges that Manoj Jarange Patil, a prominent figure in the Maratha quota protest in Jalna, was made to go on hunger strike by the Chief Minister, while the Home Minister ordered a mild lathi-charge on the protestors.
Speaking to the media in Nagpur, Patole alleged, “To divert attention from the I.N.D.I.A meeting in Mumbai, Jarange was asked to sit on a hunger protest on August 31. On September 1, in the afternoon, the home minister of the state gave orders for a mild lathi-charge on the protesters. It was done to shift the focus away from the Mumbai meeting. It is now clear that the lathi-charge, for which the home minister of the state tendered an apology, was an attempt by the government to create tension between two communities.”
Nana Patole's grave accusations are poised to stir up political turmoil within the state.
Manoj Jarange Patil went on a hunger strike for 17 days in Antarwali village, Jalna, to demand a Maratha reservation. When his health worsened, the Jalna Police wanted to move him to the hospital, but the protesters disagreed, and this led to a clash with the police.
The lathi-charge incident in Jalna revived the demand for the Maratha quota, and Manoj Jarange Patil became a prominent figure in the movement. In response to his demands, the state government issued a statement, and Chief Minister Shinde personally visited Jalna to meet him, after which he ended his hunger strike.