OBC activist criticises Jarange Patil, BJP MLA Dhas over Beed sarpanch homicide case 

OBC activist Laxman Hake on Wednesday (January 8, 2024) lambasted Maratha quota campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil and BJP MLA Suresh Dhas for allegedly downplaying the seriousness of the homicide of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district of Maharashtra. Deshmukh was allegedly kidnapped and tortured to dying on December 9, 2024, for opposing extortion makes an attempt towards an power agency linked to a windmill mission. Seven suspects have been arrested thus far.

The incident has acquired a caste-related undertone as Deshmukh hailed from the Maratha neighborhood, whereas a lot of the accused belong to the Vanjari neighborhood, a dominant OBC group in Beed.

The case has intensified political tensions with leaders from each ruling and Opposition events, together with Mr. Dhas, calling for the resignation of Nationalist Congress Social gathering (NCP) chief and State Minister Dhananjay Munde, a Vanjari chief. The leaders allege that Mr. Munde’s aide, Valmik Karad, is concerned within the case.

Talking at a condolence assembly in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (beforehand Aurangabad) district, Mr. Hake accused Mr. Jarange and Mr. Dhas of politicising the incident. “Manoj Jarange-Patil and Suresh Dhas have demeaned the seriousness of Santosh Deshmukh’s homicide. The place was Mr. Dhas when police personnel have been assaulted in Antarwali Sarati throughout Jarange-Patil’s quota agitation?” he stated.

Mr. Hake went on to assert that Mr. Dhas’s stance had shifted after the Maharashtra Meeting elections. “Mr. Dhas labored towards Mr. Munde’s success, however is now striving to dam his appointment as Beed’s Guardian Minister,” he alleged.

Condemning the rising caste-based rhetoric across the case, Mr. Hake said, “Now we have by no means indulged in politics over such incidents or prolonged assist primarily based solely on caste. But now, venom is being unfold towards a specific neighborhood.”

He added that whereas Mr. Karad had been seen with quite a few NCP leaders, the main target was unjustly centred on focusing on Mr. Munde. Mr. Hake known as for justice for the sufferer, however warned that the scenario was instilling worry amongst OBC neighborhood members.

Turning his consideration to Mr. Jarange-Patil, Mr. Hake dismissed him as an “unintended chief” with little understanding of the reservation problem. “Up to now, Muslims and Dalits have been focused. Now, the OBC neighborhood is underneath assault,” he alleged.

The OBC activist additionally criticised NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar for not visiting the household of Somnath Suryavanshi, who died in judicial custody in Parbhani district. Suryavanshi had been arrested following unrest over the desecration of a glass-encased reproduction of the Structure final month.