Jarange asks Eknath Shinde if he told BJP leaders he gave him Rs 500 crore

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil put a direct question to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his Dussehra rally at Narayangad in Beed district. Jarange challenged Shinde to say whether he had told BJP leaders that he had given Jarange Rs 500 crore. He also placed five major demands for farmers before the government.

Narayangad is in Beed district and is known as "Chhoti Pandhari". Jarange Patil's Dussehra rally was held there. In his speech he spoke on Maratha reservation, the state's political developments and farmers' issues. His remarks on Eknath Shinde, however, drew the most discussion.

Jarange Patil claimed he had learnt that some BJP leaders in Delhi were discussing that he had received Rs 500 crore. He asked whether Eknath Shinde had told BJP leaders that he had taken Rs 500 crore from the BJP and sent it to him through MP Shrikant Shinde.

Jarange asked plainly, "Eknath Shinde saheb, did you give me Rs 500 crore?" He demanded a clear answer, and gave Shinde until this evening or the next morning to respond.

Jarange also said he would go to the bottom of the matter and would not stay silent until the truth behind the talk came out. Political circles are now watching for Eknath Shinde's reaction. There has been no official confirmation of the allegation from those concerned, so it should be seen only as Jarange Patil's allegation and question.

In the speech Jarange took a sharper line on the issue. He said, "If I ask the Marathas tomorrow to put in Rs 100 each, I will have Rs 2,500 crore collected." He also warned, "You and I will face each other 3 months from now." With this remark he signalled a political confrontation.

At the rally Jarange Patil also raised the plight of farmers. He voiced concern that the state's farmers are going through a major crisis and that conditions could worsen over the next 2 months. He said farmers should get full financial help, and on this point he questioned the government's policy of assistance.

Referring to the Rs 5,000 aid given to farmers, Jarange asked how much of the expense it would actually cover. He said farmers have to make repeated trips to government offices for the aid, incurring travel and other costs. In his view, farmers need substantial financial support rather than a small amount of help.

He proposed working on the issue together with farmers' organisations and agricultural experts. He also appealed that when a crisis hits society, everyone should stand with farmers.

His five main demands of the government were these: first, Rs 1 lakh per hectare for farmers in distress; second, a full loan waiver for farmers; third, all crop insurance money to be deposited in farmers' accounts; fourth, immediate release of farmers' withheld subsidies; and fifth, fodder camps for livestock in every village.

Maratha reservation was central to the rally, but the remarks about Eknath Shinde gave political discussion a new turn. All eyes will now be on Shinde's stand on the allegations and on the state government's decision on the farmers' demands.