The ongoing Maratha quota stir Monday turned violent as angry mob vandalized Maharashtra lawmaker Prakash Solanke’s home in Beed district and set it on fire. The protest reportedly turned violent after Solenke’s comments against Manoj Jarange Patil, a pro-quota activist who is sitting on a hunger strike since October 25.
In a viral audio clip, the NCP MLA is purportedly heard saying, “The issue (the quota demand and the 40-day deadline for the state government to implement it) has become a child’s game.”
He further alleged to have said, “The person who has not even contested a gram panchayat election, has become a smart person today.” The comments were seen as a dig at Patil and his hunger strike demanding reservation for Marathas.
The comments said to have irked the agitators who threw stones at his Beed home and damaged vehicles. Notably, Solenke is an Ajit Pawar loyalist and a member of his faction of the NCP.
“I was inside my home when it was attacked. Fortunately, none of my family members or staff were injured. We are safe but there is huge loss of property…” the NCP leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
fw”>#WATCH | Beed, Maharashtra: Maratha reservation agitators vandalised and set the residence of NCP MLA Prakash Solanke on fire. pic.twitter.com/8uAfmGbNCI
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2023
Reacting to the incident, Supriya Sule, NCP MP (Sharad Pawar camp) slammed the “triple engine” government of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP in Maharashtra over its “failure”.
“This is the failure of triple engine government in Maharashtra. Today, MLA’s house is set on fire… what is the Home Minister doing? It is their responsibility…” Sule said.
Sharad Pawar also attacked the Shinde-led Maharashtra government, saying the quota demand should be fulfilled in a proper way.
“As a party… our stand is clear. Jarange’s demand should be met without hurting interests of other communities,” he said.
“The need of the hour is to ensure that the quota demand is fulfilled in a proper way…,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said condemned the the incident and said that the protest is going in the wrong direction.
“Manoj Patil should take note of what turn this protest is taking… It is going in the wrong direction,” the Maharashtra CM said, adding his government has formed a board to look into the Maratha reservation issue.