Speaking at Indapur in Pune district, Bhujbal asked the police to act against the Maratha activist for provoking protestors during the ongoing reservation protest.
“They (Jarange-Patil and his supporters) are resorting to ‘dadagiri’ (bullying). If it doesn’t stop, we will also respond in a same way. Then don’t blame us that we have disturbed the law and order in state,” Bhujbal said while addressing a crowd as a part of public rally to oppose reservation to Marathas under the OBC quota.
Bhujbal criticised the home department for its failure to control violence during the recent protest in Marathwada by Maratha activists. “What is going on in the state? Is there no law and order left in Maharashtra. Whose responsibility it is to maintain peace?” he said.
The cabinet minister cited deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s statement at the state legislative assembly on Friday saying finally the home minister has also accepted the truth. “I have been stating this for the past two months. Had the government spoken about it, the situation would not have escalated,” he said.
In his response at the state legislative assembly, Fadnavis had said the fracas between protestors and the police on September 1 saw police using mild force against the Maratha protesters in Jalna after protestors attacked the police.
Around 79 police personnel and 50 persons were injured during the face-off, said Fadnavis.
“Last time when the police tried to shift Jarange-Patil to a hospital during the strike, even the women police were attacked and had to be hospitalised. The police in self-defence resorted to lathi charge,” said Bhujbal.
Public opposition
Maratha protestors hurled chappals at BJP leader Gopichand Padalkar on Saturday at Indapur when he was on a visit to the city. Padalkar has been opposing reservation to Marathas under the OBC quota.
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