Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
Credit: PTI Photo
Jalna: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Friday said police cases against agitators at Antarwali Sarati here should be withdrawn in two days while those against others who took part in the stir across the state should be taken back within a month.
Addressing a massive rally in Panjarpol here, Jarange also said there would be no compromise on the December 24 deadline for implementation of reservation for the Maratha community.
A meeting will be held here on December 17 to plan further course of action in the fight to get reservation for the community, he added.
At the behest of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, ministers Uday Samant, Dhananjay Munde, Atul Save had visited Antarwali Sarati and they had promised to withdraw all cases, Jarange claimed.
He also said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar must not succumb to the pressure of Chhagan Bhujbal, who has been stridently opposing plans to give quota to Marathas from the share of the Other Backward Classes.
Bhujbal was playing divisive politics and wanted to create friction between communities, Jarange further alleged.
The state government had imposed section 144 (which prohibits assembly of people) in Latur but the rally planned by the Maratha community will go ahead as scheduled, Jarange said.
The Jalna rally, on a 140-acre plot, was attended by several thousand persons, with Jarange being showered with flower petals along the way.
Meanwhile, in Ambad, 12 OBC activists were detained for showing black flags to some members of the Maratha community who were on their way to Jarange's rally, police said.