Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has raised serious questions about the political conspiracies against him concerning the Maratha reservation issue. Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been targeting Fadnavis for several months, is now facing the ire of under scrutiny himself.
During an event, when asked about the situation, Fadnavis expressed his anguish. He said, “I am the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister, and Ajit Pawar is also a Deputy Chief Minister. Maharashtra has a coalition government, yet Manoj Jarange Patil targets only me every day. Why is that? Someone should ask him this question.”
Maratha Reservation
The issue of Maratha reservation is gaining momentum as Maharashtra elections approach. Manoj Jarange Patil, who has become the face of this movement, has been in an agitated mood for the past year. However, in recent days, he has specifically opened a front against Fadnavis and the BJP. His statements are only against Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP, while the names of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the other Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar have not been mentioned in any of his statements.
Fadnavis’ Counterattack
Fadnavis responded by saying, “When I was in power for the first time, we implemented the Maratha reservation and fought the case in the Supreme Court. When the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government led by Uddhav Thackeray came to power, no concrete steps were taken on the reservation. The Thackeray government did not properly fight the Maratha reservation case in the Supreme Court, leading to its cancellation. Now, the BJP is trying to reinstate the reservation, yet Manoj Jarange Patil is using inappropriate language against me.”
Fadnavis Slams Opponents
Devendra Fadnavis reminded people of the history of the Maratha reservation and launched a sharp attack on his opponents. He said, “Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra three times, but he never granted reservation to the Marathas. In 1982, the late Annasaheb Patil had demanded a reservation for the Maratha community from the Congress leadership at the time and had warned that if the reservation was not granted, he would commit suicide. Despite his warning, Congress did not grant reservation, leading Annasaheb Patil to take his own life. The fight for Maratha reservation began from that moment. After that, the Congress or NCP held power four times, but the Marathas did not get a reservation.”
The Deputy CM further said that it was the BJP government that first provided Maratha reservation. “We restarted the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation, which has now produced over one lakh entrepreneurs. During my tenure, the Sarathi program was launched, which prepared IAS and IPS officers from the Maratha community. We also reduced education fees by 50% for Maratha students and provided hostel facilities. Those who didn’t get hostel accommodation were given allowances.”
Fadnavis expressed his frustration, saying, “Despite doing all this, I am being labeled as anti-reservation. No one is questioning those who never acknowledged the need for Maratha reservation or who never granted it.”
Political Attacks Ahead of Elections
Fadnavis also questioned why Manoj Jarange Patil did not protest when Uddhav Thackeray’s government was in power. Now, with elections nearing, Fadnavis is being selectively targeted. Patil recently announced that he would contest against the BJP in the upcoming elections. According to Fadnavis, Patil’s one-sided opposition and silence regarding other key government leaders and the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government raise suspicions.
