Pawar family backing Manoj Jarange Patil, says OBC leader Laxman Hake

Mumbai: In a fierce charge, firebrand OBC leader Prof Laxman Hake accused the “Pawar family of Baramati” of backing Manoj Jarange Patil for what he described as “OBCfication of Marathas” and secure reservation.

“The GR issued by the Maharashtra government is completely illegal,” Prof Hake, who heads the OBC Sangharsh Sena, told reporters, referring to the government resolution on implementing the Hyderabad Gazetteer which refers Marathas as Kunbis for the Marathwada region.

He pointed out that leaders of Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP had met Jarange-Patil in the dais at Azad Maidan when he was undertaking a hunger strike at the Azad Maidan.

In fact, Baramati MP Supriya Sule also visited Azad Maidan, where she had to face backlash.

“The Pawar family of Baramati has finished the OBC reservation…the Pawar family ensured supplies during the agitation,” he alleged, adding that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was made helpless.

“With bogus Kunbi certificates they will secure reservation,” said Prof Hake adding that the GR would impact the OBC community.

“On one hand, Sharad Chandra Pawar is taking out a Mandal Yatra from Nagpur and on the other hand, he is supporting the illegal demands of Jarange-Patil. This Pawar family has ended the reservation of OBCs in Maharashtra and the chief minister has fallen victim to it,” he said.

Prof Hake also slammed state water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who heads the Cabinet sub-committee on issues of the Maratha community saying that he should understand what social discrimination is.

“Jarange-Patil’s movement against OBC reservations had support from Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Beed NCP (SP) MP Banjarang Sonawane, with claims that Ajit Pawar's MLAs backed this anti-OBC cause, aided by Rohit Pawar's IT Cell.