Manoj Jarange Warns Eknath Shinde Against Attending Parbhani Rally
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil issued a warning to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday against attending a farmers' rally scheduled in Parbhani, demanding that the organisers cancel the event amid the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation.
The rally in Parbhani was organised by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Jadhav. Jarange warned Shinde that he would face consequences if he attended the gathering, stating that he would travel to Parbhani himself if the event was not called off.
Jadhav spoke with Jarange over the telephone on Sunday morning. While the MP initially sought time to consult his party leadership regarding the demand, he later confirmed that calling off the event at the last minute was impossible due to completed preparations and crowds already arriving at the venue.
Jadhav stated that if Jarange had informed him the previous night, he would have cancelled the programme. He added that Jarange held the moral right to criticise him, but explained that the gathering could not be dismantled on short notice.
Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Saturday to press his demand that members of the Maratha community in Marathwada be issued Kunbi caste certificates and validity certificates. He maintained that Shinde should not attend public programmes in Marathwada while the community is actively engaged in a struggle for reservation benefits and Kunbi documentation.
While starting his hunger strike on Saturday, Jarange warned the state government against delaying the process or seeking additional time. He demanded that caste certificates and validity certificates be issued immediately to eligible individuals based on 58 lakh recorded Kunbi entries.
Following his discussions with Jadhav, Jarange declared that he would teach the leadership a lesson in Mumbai. However, he subsequently dropped his plan to travel to Parbhani, explaining that he did not want to create a law-and-order situation at the rally venue.
