MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil are at loggerheads over Patil’s allegation that Shinde received Rs 500 crore from the BJP to end the Maratha reservation agitation.
Patil claimed that senior BJP leaders had informed him about the alleged payment.
“I was told that Mr. Shinde has taken Rs 500 crore from the BJP to give him through his son Dr. Shrikant Shinde and end the Maratha protest and silent Jarange Patil. But I wish to clarify that I have neither taken money from anyone nor decided to end the fight for Maratha reservations. I will continue to fight for the community,” Jarange Patil.
Jarange Patil said that he wants to know from Shinde in the next two days whether this report of taking Rs 500 crore from BJP is true or false. “The Rs 500 crore is not a small amount. There is a big conspiracy to damage the Maratha protest and Jarange Patil. Therefore, Eknath Shinde should clarify whether he has really taken money from the BJP to give it to Jarange Patil or not? I also got the proof about this claim; I will disclose it at the appropriate time,” Maratha quota leader said.
Reacting to these Rs 500 crore allegations, Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam slammed Maratha quota leader Jarange Patil, saying he is trying to malign the image of Eknath Shinde, who has the backing of 65 MLAs and 17 Lok Sabha MPs. Kadam said that if Jarange Patil has got the proof, he should present it to the people.
“These are questions of Jarange Patil’s credibility and his new lifestyle. It means Jarange Patil has taken the supari from someone to defame Ekanth Shinde. Should people also have the right to know whether Jarange Patil blackmailed the people? His hunger strike is false because he used to eat at night and during the day, claiming it was a hunger protest. The high-level inquiry should be set up to probe all these charges as well,” Ramdas Kadam said.