Maratha quota stir: Protestors gherao Supriya Sule, attack her vehicle with bottles at Azad Maidan

Mumbai: NCP (SP) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule was hooted at, gheraoed and her vehicle was attacked with bottles after she visited Azad Maidan where Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is undertaking fast-unto-death.

The agitated protestors also raised slogans against her father and NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, a four-time Chief Minister and three-time union minister having handled portfolios of Defence and Agriculture.

Jarange-Patil has condemned the incident and called supporters to find out who all have initiated the trouble.

“People will come (to meet us)…leaders will come…whichever may be the party…please bring them in with respect and escort them out with respect…what has happened is improper,” Jarange-Patil said. “I have been appealing…time and again…be patient…maintain peace,” he reiterated.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed concern over what had happened. “This is not done…hooting, gheraoing and throwing bottles…this is not proper,” said Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister.

Reacting to the incident, senior NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad said that hatred is against the government. “This hatred and anger of the Marathas is not towards our sister but towards the government that repeatedly mocks the Marathas,” he said.

Sule called for an immediate all-party meeting and one-day special session of the Maharashtra legislature to resolve the issue. “Nobody is opposing the reservation for the Maratha community. The cabinet should take a decision,” she said.

"The leaders who accused Sharad Pawar of not taking any decision for Marathas were in power for several years in the Congress-NCP (Democratic Front) government,” she said, in a veiled swipe at Deputy Chief Minister and her cousin Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP President.