Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange plans strategy amidst allegations of Maharashtra government's changing statements

File Photo/PTI

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Thursday claimed the Maharashtra government has changed its statements on the Maratha quota issue and hence he along with other members of the community will hold a meeting on December 17 to decide on how to take their agitation forward.

Jarange had set December 24 as the deadline before the government to give reservation to Marathas, newswire PTI reported.

A meeting will be held on December 17 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district to decide on how to take the agitation forward, the activist told reporters at a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar where he has been admitted.

"We were supposed to hold a meeting of the Maratha community after December 24. But certain things have happened and because of that we are arranging the meeting earlier," he said.

"The government earlier said it will withdraw cases in the Antarwali Sarati incident. Instead they arrested people there. The government changed its statements on Maratha reservation after listening to (state cabinet minister) Chhagan Bhujbal," Jarange claimed.

A protest for Maratha reservation at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna turned violent on September 1 leading to some people including police personnel getting injured.

Jarange said, "The government has also not given us in writing about the Maratha reservation. Bhujbal speaks about violence but action is taken against us."

Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, on Wednesday made a sensational claim saying there is a police input that he may be "shot dead" and revealed he has been receiving abuses and threats since the past two months amid the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation.

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The food and civil supplies minister has been vociferously opposing inclusion of the Marathas under the OBC category for reservation in jobs and education,

Jarange criticised Bhujbal and claimed the minister was making statements to get cases (of alleged corruption) against him withdrawn.

"Why would anyone fire bullets at Chhagan Bhujbal, our thinking is not that low. He is making this statement just because he wants to get his security increased. We also faced difficulties but we never cried about that. But I will speak about it on December 24," he added.

Meanwhile, reacting to the threat perception to Bhujbal, Maharashtra Industry Minister Uday Samant has said that the Home Department will take the necessary action after talking to him.

"The safety of the members of the House and people outside the house is the responsibility of the government. Our Home department will take the necessary action after talking to Chhagan Bhujbal as this government is ready to provide safety to everyone...The CM will reply on the Maratha Reservation as soon as possible," he said.