First, there was the agitation threatened by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil; and, now, OBC community leaders too have upped the ante. After state minister Chhagan Bhujbal, OBC leader Prakash Shendge is on the warpath. He has said if the Maratha community brings 10 lakh cars to protest at the OBC reservation rescue meeting to be held at Naigaon Narsi in Nanded district, "we too have 2,000 donkeys and sheep and will protest at Azad Maidan."
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar, former MP Vikas Mahatme, Prof T P Munde, Avinash Bhosikar, Sachin Naik and other dignitaries were present when Shendge made this statement. Shendge criticised Manoj Jarange-Patil, who is fighting for Maratha reservation.
Shendge's Tit-For-Tat Move
"The movement of the poor from the Maratha community is not for reservation, but to endanger the reservation of the OBCs. If you are agitating to threaten OBC reservation, we are also going to agitate at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to save reservation. If you have one million cars, we have thousands of donkeys, pigs, sheep, etc. We will protest at Azad Maidan with these," Shendge declared.
Jarange-Patil has announced a protest at Azad Maidan from January 20, rallying the community with the slogan, 'Chalo Mumbai.' Shendge said, The Maratha community will come to Azad Maidan and take an extreme stand on the 20th. Because we have sought permission to protest in Azad Maidan before they did, Shendge claimed. By all appearances, there is a possibility of an OBC vs Maratha conflict at Azad Maidan on this day.
VBA's Support To OBC Movement
VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar too has declared support for the OBC movement and announced his participation. Both the Marathas and the OBCs have sought to protest at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on January 20. As both groups are demanding the same space for protest, a conflict is on the cards. Shendge has warned that if the Maratha community is allowed to protest at Azad Maidan, the government will be fully responsible for any dispute that is likely to arise.
