Beed: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Tuesday threw a direct question at deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and gave him till Wednesday to answer.
Addressing a Dasara rally at Narayangad, a religious site associated with the Maratha community in Beed district, Jarange-Patil alleged that Shinde had told a senior BJP leader that the activist had been paid ₹500 crore during his reservation agitation two years ago. He said the money was allegedly routed through Shinde's son, MP Shrikant Shinde.
"On the eighth day of my indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarathi last month, some senior political leaders told me that Shinde had claimed to have paid money to me. I have evidence to substantiate my claim and can produce it at the appropriate time," he said. "I challenge Shinde saheb to address the matter."
He rejected the suggestion that he had taken any money. "If I had received that money, I would have distributed it among drought-hit people," he said, and claimed he had not seen even ₹5,000 for himself.
Jarange-Patil, who called off his 11th hunger strike after 20 days on September 17, said he would hold his fire against the state government until the three-month deadline he set in September expires. "One month has passed, and another two months remain. Until then, I will not speak against the government."
He also accused the government of dragging its feet on issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas, pointing to the 5.8 million Kunbi-related records identified by the state. Kunbis are classified as OBCs in Maharashtra, and Marathas who establish Kunbi ancestry can claim OBC reservation benefits.
Jarange-Patil urged the community to defeat political leaders who oppose reservation in the coming elections, and told his supporters to prepare for a march to Mumbai. He announced helpline numbers, to be released on October 22, for registering Maratha volunteers and for complaints about Kunbi records and certificates. He demanded ₹1 lakh per hectare as drought aid, full loan waivers, pending crop insurance dues, fodder camps in every village and drinking water arrangements.
The ruling Shiv Sena hit back. Its leader Ramdas Kadam called Jarange-Patil dishonest and demanded an inquiry into his finances. Sena leader Sanjay Lakhe-Patil threatened a defamation suit seeking ₹1 in damages, and gave Jarange-Patil until Wednesday evening to name the BJP leader who, he claimed, had given him the information.