Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jan 8 (PTI) OBC activist Laxman Hake on Wednesday accused Maratha quota agitator Manoj Jarange and BJP MLA Suresh Dhas of demeaning the seriousness of the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death on December 9, allegedly for his efforts to prevent extortion attempts against an energy firm linked to a windmill project. Police have so far arrested seven persons over his murder.
The murder has acquired a caste conflict angle as Deshmukh was a Maratha, while most of the accused are Vanjari, a dominant community in the Beed region.
Some leaders from Opposition and ruling parties, including Dhas, have demanded the resignation of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, who belongs to the Vanjari community, alleging links between his aide Valmik Karad and the murder case.
Speaking at Deshmukh's condolence meet in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Hake said, "Manoj Jarange and Suresh Dhas have demeaned the seriousness of the Santosh Deshmukh murder case...Where was Dhas when police personnel were attacked in Antarwali Sarati (during Jarange's quota agitation)?"
The language of Dhas has changed after last year's Maharashtra assembly elections. He worked towards the defeat of Munde. But after the latter won, Dhas is now making efforts so that Munde does not become the guardian minister of Beed, he alleged.
"We never indulged in politics over such incidents. We never supported anyone just on the basis of caste and did not take out marches. But here poison is being spread against one particular community," Hake claimed.
Karad was seen with several leaders (of the NCP), but they are only targeting Dhananjay Munde. The culprits should be punished, but such things are creating fear among OBC community members, the activist added.
Attacking Jarange, Hake said, "He became a leader accidentally. He has no study of the reservation issue...There was a time when the Muslims were targeted, followed by Dalits. But of late, members of the OBC community are being targeted."
He also attacked NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and sought to know why he did not go to meet the family of Somnath Suryavanshi, who died in judicial custody, in Parbhani.
Suryavanshi died after he was arrested in connection with violence in Parbhani over the desecration of the glass-encased replica of the Constitution last month.