Mumbai: Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil has hit out at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray over the latter's comments over the ongoing reservation stir in the state. Thackeray has criticised Patil over his renewed warning to the Eknath Shinde led coalition government in Maharashtra to launch a fresh stir.
Thackeray questioned the rationale behind Patil's proposed hunger strike after the latter had called off the stir on Jan 27 amid assurances by the Shinde government to provide reservation benefits to the Marathas. Patil, while hitting back at Raj Thackeray, said that the MNS chief “should not spread misunderstanding in the community”.
“There is a large Maratha community that also respects Raj Thackeray. Some people are criticizing the Maratha reservation at the behest of the government,” Patil said while answering a question by the media over Thackeray's comments. The war of words between Thackeray and Patil comes after the latter on Jan 28 said that the agitation in favour of Maratha reservation will continue until members of the community are granted benefits under the Maharashtra government's proposed notification.
The preceding day, Patil had called off his hunger strike which he had launched on Jan 19, after the Eknath Shinde led government issued a notification saying that till Marathas get the reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs.
Patil said that the reservation given to the community is to be according to the law of 2001. Patil suggested to the government to take up the issue and turn it into a law in the upcoming assembly session.
