Brigade warns of attack on politicians

Pune: The Sambhaji Brigade, in a thinly-veiled threat, has told the state government that angry Maratha youths may attack politicians. The group has said that it will be difficult to control the angry youths, while citing the example of Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire who was heckled in Aurangabad on Tuesday.  

Further, the brigade has demanded that Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis be booked under sections 304 and 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly abetting the suicide of Kakasaheb Shinde (28) on Monday. The group also accused Mr Fadnavis of sending more than 500 youths to create a law and order problem in the wari (procession to Pandha-rpur) on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Manoj Akhare, state chief of the Sambhaji Brigade, said, “Mr Fadnavis should be booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304 for attempt to murder and section 306 for abetment of suicide in Mr Shinde’s case. Mr Shinde committed suicide by jumping into the Godavari river at Gangapur near Auran-gabad and took jalasamadhi.”

“The administration and the police were aware of Mr Shinde’s jalasamadhi strike. They were at the bridge over the river for long but the police did not take any action. This is abetment of suicide. Mr Fadnavis is responsible for Mr Shinde’s death as he did not resolve the Maratha reservation issue earlier,” Mr Akhare said.

The brigade warned that if the state failed to resolve the Maratha reservation issue, the youths of the community who had lost their patience would attack the houses of people’s representatives.

Santosh Shinde, the Pune chief of Sambhaji Brigade, said, “On Tuesday, the youths tried to attack Cha-ndrakant Khaire, Shiv Sena MP, when he went to Mr Shinde’s funeral in Aurangabad. They might go to the houses of other representatives to attack them and then, who will save the latter? The state needs to resolve the reservation issue in a few days.”