Urging people not to fall prey to false propaganda, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday hit out at a viral video clip which showed him making apparently frivolous remarks on the Maratha quota agitation along with Deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, remarking that the distorted video was “a highly mischievous act” on part of his opponents.
As the deadlock over the Maratha reservation continued with pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s indefinite strike entering its sixteenth day, the video clip, shot before the commencement of a press conference after the all-party meeting on September 11, triggered a fresh bout of political sabre-rattling between ruling and Opposition parties.
The video, which showed CM Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar sharing a light moment prior to the press conference, giving the impression that Mr. Shinde was treating the Maratha reservation issue with apparent levity, was posted by a number of opposition leaders including MP Omraje Nimbalkar, who belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
It was trolled by irate pro-quota activists, who lashed out at the government’s insensitivity and lack of commitment to granting reservation for the Marathas.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Mr. Shinde immediately clarified that the video clip was deliberately distorted and taken wildly out of context, accusing Opposition leaders of calculatedly attempting to stoke tension between the government and the Maratha quota protestors and mislead community youth.
He said the government was “extremely serious” and committed to ensuring a foolproof quota for the Maratha community.
“All that we [Mr. Shinde and Dy CMs Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Ajit Pawar] were saying before the press conference was that we would only restrict the meeting to the reservation issue, and not entertain political statements from the leaders present. The video clip has been deliberately distorted and in order to sow doubts and mislead the Maratha community. We urge the Maratha community not to fall prey to false and malicious propaganda. Our government is very clear and sincere about granting reservation for the community,” Mr. Shinde said.
The CM also took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging detractors not to heighten tensions among castes by giving traction to false videos circulating on social media.
“A video has surfaced online shot after the all-party meeting on Maratha reservation, before the press conference at the Sahyadri guest house. It is highly mischievous to wrongly edit and circulate the conversation between me and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar on the microphone from social media. The government has been sensitive about the Maratha reservation since the beginning and is working on giving priority to the reservation that will fit within the framework of the law. Also, for the first time, the leaders of all parties have been called together and a consensus has been reached,” he said.
Leaders from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi pounced on Mr. Shinde over the clip, with Maharashtra Leader of Opposition and Congressman Vijay Wadettiwar saying that it showed just how casual the government was over the Maratha quota issue.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena leader and MP Arvind Sawant said while Mr. Shinde and the Deputy CMs were making merry in dahi handi celebrations, they had no interest in wanting to meet Mr. Jarange Patil whose life was on the line.
Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the sheer insensitivity of the Shinde government towards the Maratha reservation issue.
Even as the clip put the government on the defensive, there were reports that CM Shinde along with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar were to meet with Mr. Jarange Patil at his protest site in Jalna’s Antarwali Sarati village, but reportedly cancelled it owing to possible security problems.
When asked whether he would go to Jalna to persuade Mr. Jarange Patil to call of his strike, Mr. Shinde said: “Positive discussions are currently on with Mr. Jarange Patil and our government. Our ministers are regularly meeting him. A delegation on behalf of the government will be meeting him today as well.”
Mr. Jarange Patil has said he would end his indefinite strike only when Mr. Shinde, as well both the Deputy CMs, personally visit the protest site with written assurances on his demands regarding the quota issue.
Meanwhile, while Maratha quota agitators continued to block roads and burn tyres in districts of the Marathwada region, OBC community members, too, protested across Vidarbha and Marathwada, demanding that their reservation benefits be kept intact and that the government must ensure that the Maratha quota does not eat into their reservation pie.
