Don't allow those who ordered lathi-charge on agitators to enter Marathwada: Raj Thackeray

Aurangabad: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday met the people agitating in Jalna for the Maratha quota and said they should not allow those who ordered lathi-charge on the protesters to enter Marathwada.

Thackeray reached Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna and met Manoj Jarange, who has been staging a hunger strike since a week demanding reservation for the Maratha community.

The agitation turned violent on Friday after the authorities tried to shift Jarange to a hospital.

As violence broke out, police baton-charged the protesters and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them. Several persons, including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses were set ablaze.

More than 360 people have been booked in connection with the violence, police earlier said.

Thackeray said, "Leaders seek your votes and leave you. The agitators should not allow entry into Marathwada of those leaders who ordered the attack with lathis and to hold the agitators at gun-point. This should go on until the leaders apologise." While on way to Antarwali Sarathi village, the MNS leader interacted with the agitators at Jamkhed Phata.

"Earlier, politicians promised a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea (off Mumbai coast) and took your votes. But after taking your votes, your issues are ignored," he said.

State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the opposition should not do politics over the issue, Thackeray mentioned.

"But, Fadnavis would have done the same thing if he would have been in the opposition," he claimed.

"I have heard the issues of the agitators. I will check the legalities and talk to the chief minister to resolve them. Today there are no elections, but when elections come, remember the marks of lathis (on the agitators)," Thackeray added.

BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde, who commenced her Shiv Shakti Yatra from Aurangabad on Monday morning, said the issue of reservation for Marathas needs serious attention.

"It is absolutely painful to see such a situation of the Maratha community...there is a need for an impartial inquiry into this incident. This agitation (of Maratha community) needs serious attention. But at the same time, this is not a political but a constitutional issue," Munde said.