BJP MLC Parinay Fuke sharply rebuked Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday for his remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing the activist of losing credibility and acting as a political pawn. Jarange, who announced a hunger strike in Mumbai on August 29 to press for Maratha reservations, recently claimed Fadnavis was undermining Maratha leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Speaking in Nagpur, Fuke dismissed Jarange’s activism, stating, “Like frogs appearing in the rains, Jarange emerges only during elections.” He alleged that Jarange’s actions are influenced by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and suggested the activist may be sowing division between Marathas and other communities. “Fadnavis was the first chief minister to grant Maratha reservations,” Fuke emphasized, questioning Jarange’s motives and accusing him of hindering the community’s cause.

State minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, speaking in Dharashiv, echoed Fuke’s sentiments, questioning why Jarange singled out Fadnavis while ignoring Pawar’s stance against Maratha reservations. “Fadnavis secured a quota that held until the Supreme Court struck it down due to the MVA government’s failures, including leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar,” Vikhe Patil stated.

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Jarange has been advocating for Marathas to be recognized as Kunbis, an agrarian caste under the Other Backward Classes category, to secure reservations in government jobs and education. The issue remains contentious, with posts on X reflecting polarized views, some supporting Jarange’s demands and others backing the BJP’s defense of Fadnavis. As tensions rise ahead of the hunger strike, the debate underscores deep-seated political and social divisions in Maharashtra’s reservation politics.

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