Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday expressed fear that he might be arrested and asked Marathas to stay calm and write emails to the prime minister and Maharashtra chief minister to stop "suppression" of the quota agitation.
The activist has been under fire for using intemperate language against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday as he alleged the BJP leader was trying to kill him.
Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Tuesday directed the state government to set up a special investigation team (SIT) and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into Jarange's remarks against Fadnavis.
The activist earlier used abusive words while observing a fast against non-implementation of the "sage soyre" (blood relatives of Kunbi Marathas) draft notification by the state government. The notification was issued in January for issuing certificates to eligible Kunbi (OBC) Marathas.
Jarange was speaking to reporters on Wednesday at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he is undergoing treatment after ending his fast two days back over his demand of reservation for the Maratha community.
"Dictatorship is going on. Even the British (rulers) did not do this. I spoke about Devendra Fadnavis, and his party leaders who are Marathas became angry. If they are Marathas, they would have spoken to their leader and asked him to implement the quota for relatives (of Marathas)," the activist said.
"I know they are going to arrest me. But the community should remain calm and see what steps the government initiates over the Maratha quota agitation issue," he said.
Jarange said even if he goes to jail, he will remain firm on his demands of reservation for the 'blood relatives' of Marathas, considering gazettes as a record for issuing certificates and withdrawing cases (over agitation) registered against the Maratha community members across the state.
"The community people should remain calm and write emails to the president, prime minister, governor and chief minister and urge them to stop suppression of the Maratha quota agitation," he said.
There is still time, the government should grant reservation to the relatives (of Marathas), Jarange said.
Jarange has reiterated his opposition to the 10 per cent quota granted to the Maratha community recently by the Maharashtra legislature under a special category.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has raised questions about Jarange's motives, and wondered "who was behind" the activist's recent diatribe against the government.
The activist keeps changing his demands, Shinde said on Tuesday.
NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar leader Sharad Pawar has termed as "childish" the BJP's allegations that he was behind Jarange's controversial statements.