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Maratha quota stir: Curfew imposed in Ambad tehsil of Jalna amid Manoj Jarange-led protests
Maratha quota stir: Curfew imposed in Ambad tehsil of Jalna amid Manoj Jarange-led protests
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday said he would march to Mumbai and protest outside the residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who he accused of trying to kill him.
February 26, 2024 10:45 IST
The authorities imposed a curfew in the Ambad tehsil of Jalna amid protests led by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday. The development comes hours after Jarange, who left for Mumbai to hold a protest against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis outside his residence, revoked his march midway and returned to his village saying he respects the law and does not want to create a law and order situation.
"All Marathas activists should maintain peace in the state and not take the law into their own hands," he said asking all workers to go to their homes.
Jarange was in in Bhambri village of Jalna along with his workers when he decided to end his march, saying the government intended to detain women workers at night.
"Heavy police force was deployed. Orders have been issued to stop gathering in Ambad village, hence we will return to our village respecting the law and the police," he added.
CM Shinde should not listen to Fadnavis: Jarange
Jarange said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde should not listen to Fadnavis and spell out why the notification on 'blood relatives’ of Kunbi Marathas was not being implemented. Jarange made the remarks late Sunday night after CM Shinde said the activist must not test the patience of his government.
Jarange later left from Antarwali Sarati and stopped at Bhamberi village in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while on way to Mumbai.
The Maharashtra legislature during a one-day special session last Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category, but Jarange has been firm on his demand for quota for the community under the OBC head and converting the notification on ‘blood relatives’ of Kunbi Marathas into a law.
New Don't test our patience, CM tells Jarange; says conspiracy will be exposed soon
Shinde on Sunday said Jarange must not test the patience of his government after the latter made wild allegations against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Speaking in Antarwali Sarati earlier in the day, Jarange said Fadnavis was trying to kill him. Jarange had also said a poisoning attempt was made against him through saline, though he did not elaborate on the claim.
Shinde also took a swipe at the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) while responding to Jarange.
"Those who are protesting again and again against the government must not test our patience. They should not create a law and order problem. I wonder why Jarange's speech looks like the script generally used by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray," Shinde said.
New Fadnavis trying to kill me:Jarange
Earlier, Jarange said he would march to Mumbai and protest outside the residence of Fadnavis who he accused of trying to kill him. The announcement, made at the end of a speech of more than one hour in Antarwali Sarati in Jalna in which Jarange made several allegations against Fadnavis, took his supporters by surprise.
Asked about Jarange's statements later, Fadnavis just said "I did not hear what he spoke".
"Some people are being lured and pressured to make false allegations against me. Fadnavis is behind these conspiracies. He wants to kill me. I am ready to march to Sagar bungalow (Fadnavis' official residence in Mumbai's Malabar Hill) right away," Jarange said.
The announcement led to chaos at the site, where the activist's supporters had gathered in large numbers. Even as some of them tried to take away his microphone, Jarange said he would march to Mumbai alone and all he needed was a stick for support.
He said allegations against him were levelled once the Maratha quota bill was passed in the Maharashtra legislature on February 20.
"How come these people realised my so-called mistakes now and began speaking about them," Jarange asked.
He also spoke about the "Brahminical tricks" of Fadnavis even while asserting that his allegations were not against "all Brahmins".
"Fadnavis does not like anyone to be more popular than him. It is because of Fadnavis that police complaints were filed against Maratha activists despite their peaceful protests. The court has allowed us to protest peacefully. Then why were police complaints filed," he told a regional news channel.
"I am not backing down from my demand to include Marathas in the OBC segment and issuing of Kunbi certificates. There was a plan to finish me by poisoning me through saline. This government is trying to demean major communities through politic tricks," he alleged.
Hitting back,BJP MLA Nitesh Rane warned Jarange that he would have to cross a "huge wall of party workers" to reach Fadnavis, adding that the quota activist was "now reading from a script".
"He should enter politics but he should not stoop low to make such allegations against Fadnavis," Rane said.