Maratha quota stir: Who’s behind Manoj Jarange? SIT will investigate

The state government has hardened its stand against Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil. It accepted the Assembly Speaker's directive that the allegations levelled by the MLAs, mostly from the BJP, be probed by a special investigation team (SIT). BJP's Ashish Shelar (in the Assembly) and Pravin Darekar (in the Council) raised the issue.

Both Maratha MLAs wanted to know why Jarange had been using political language and making accusations against the ruling leaders, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in particular. They reiterated allegations that some Maratha activists had levelled against Jarange that the agitation was a conspiracy designed by the Opposition leaders.

BJP MLAs want Jarange to be arrested. File pic/PTI

Shelar said Jarange had talked about reducing the state to ashes. "What is this? He threatened DCM Fadnavis. We won't tolerate such language. He has threatened to disturb the PM's rally. Isn't this a script that some politicians have been using?" he asked. Darekar named NCP (Sharad Pawar) legislator Rajesh Tope for as Jarange's co-conspirator. He asked the government to arrest Jarange. BJP's Amit Satam wanted the government to arrest the MLA who had "made his sugar factory available for conspiring".

Also Read: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange calls for unity

Marathas are with me: Fadnavis

Fadnavis also spoke while accepting Speaker Narvekar's directive. "Perhaps some people don't know what I have done for the Maratha community. I was the CM when the quota [in 2018] and various facilities were made available. The quota lasted in the high court and the Supreme Court till I was the CM. Everybody knows who was the CM when the quota was scrapped. I don't need a certificate from anyone. The Maratha community is still with me," he said.

He decried the language used by the activist. "You abuse our mothers and sisters despite invoking Shivaji Maharaj who respected women. Who is behind this script? Who is prompting him?" asked Fadnavis, telling the House that the accused who were arrested in the Antarwali Sarathi violence, had told the police about a politician who had brought Jarange to the protest site in the night. "They have spoken about the meeting held at a sugar factory and who instigated people to pelt stones at the police. Whose workers are these? Whose money is this? Everything is being revealed," added the home minister, further, saying that the government also knew who had set up war rooms at Aurangabad, Pune and Navi Mumbai.

Clean chit for Jarange

Opposition leader in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and his senior Congress colleague, Balasaheb Thorat said Jarange was a simple, honest and non-political person, who people knew only after his agitation was lathi-charged late last year. "We don't approve of his language, but we want to know about the people who had accused Jarange of many things. The CM had ended the agitation and celebrated with Marathas. What happened thereafter? Why did the agitation take off again?" asked Thorat.

Wadettiwar asked for inquiry against the people who forced Jarange into politicising the agitation. "We have made a politician out of him. Whatever he has said was out of frustration. Jarange is not a politician. We all know who negotiated with Jarange and who projected himself as the hero of Marathas," said the Opposition leader in an apparent barge to the CM.

Never instigated anyone: Tope

Rajesh Tope denied the allegations. "They are misleading the people. I'm open to any kind of probe. Like many other leaders, I was there as the representative of Marathas. I have never instigated the community or Jarange. I will quit politics if they find even one per cent truth in the allegations."

I'm not scared: Jarange

Jarange said he was not scared because he had done nothing. "It's good. Probe me and them, too. It is a conspiracy to keep me engaged. I had told the community about the conspiracy two days ago. Probe the ministers who conspired against me," he said. Two days ago, an angry Jarange had left for Mumbai but returned home following measures taken by the police. He has quit the fast so that he can take it up again after some days.