Jarange Patil accuses Fadnavis of using ED notices against his aides

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil is preparing to go on a hunger strike in Mumbai. He has announced that a march to Mumbai will begin on September 15, and that Jarange Patil and other Maratha agitators will reach Mumbai five days after the announcement. But as news of the march broke, efforts to stop the agitation have also intensified on the other side.

Jarange Patil directly alleged that notices from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are being sent to people close to him, and that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is behind this. "I have now started suspecting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. People close to me are being given ED notices. What kind of a case is this?" he said. He further questioned whether the ED has any standing left if it keeps sending notices to ordinary people of Antarwali Sarati, asking what would remain of the ED's reputation. Jarange also said that major scams across the country are being ignored while people from Antarwali are being investigated.

Jarange Patil said ED notices are being used to pressure the people working with him. In his words, "Because they work with me, Fadnavis puts people under pressure and gives them ED notices for not supporting the agitation. This means they want the agitation stopped." He also said, "They want to cool down my supporters. Everything is being done to get the agitation stopped," and appealed to the Maratha community to stand by those concerned.

Jarange Patil said he has spoken to the people who received ED notices. He said that as soon as they got the notices, these people resigned from their posts, were left with nothing, and are even ready to go to jail. According to Jarange, those who received the notices already had a complete account of the related transactions ready in advance, and it has also been submitted.

Jarange Patil also warned Chief Minister Fadnavis, saying that complaints would now be filed with the ED against his "guests" as well. "Fadnavis, your guests will also get ED notices. They will get notices too. Our people will also file applications. Does the ED only have to investigate Antarwali?" he said. All eyes are now on how the government or the concerned investigating agency responds to Jarange's allegations.