Remarks on minister: Maratha quota activist Jarange booked in 2 cases

Latur: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been booked in two separate cases by the Maharastra Police for alleged derogatory comments against state minister Dhananjay Munde and his community. The said remarks allegedly gave rise to communal tensions, PTI reported.

The first case was registered at the Kingaon police station in Ahmedpur taluka of the central Maharashtra district on Tuesday, an official said on Wednesday.

According to the complaint lodged by the minister's supporter, Kishor Munde, Jarange made objectionable and intemperate statements against Dhananjay Munde and the Vanjari community that he belongs to while speaking at a rally at Parbhani on January 4, assistant inspector Sahebrao Khandare told PTI.

As per the complaint, the activist's statements hurt the sentiments of members of the OBC community, he said.

"Based on the complaint, a non-cognisable offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at the Kingaon police station under sections 352 (intentional insult), 351 (2), (3) (criminal intimidation) and section 3 (5) (common intention)," he said.

An all-party protest rally was held in Parbhani on January 4, in which participants demanded that the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in adjoining Beed district, be fast-tracked and investigated without any political pressure.

Some leaders from Opposition and ruling parties demanded the resignation of Dhananjay Munde, alleging links between his associate Valmik Karad and the murder case. Jarange and family members of Deshmukh were also part of the march.

The second case against Jarange was filed on the complaint of a local resident, Ganesh Gunaji Kedar, submitted at the Shivajinagar Police Station in Latur city on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Kedar's complaint, at the Parbhani gathering, Jarange allegedly made provocative statements with political motives, which were deemed defamatory towards the Vanjari community and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Munde.

The quota activist used language encouraging violence, fostering hostility between two communities and attempting to provoke unrest, he alleged.

The police have also registered a case against social activist Anjali Damania, based on the same complaint at the Shivajinagar police station, for allegedly attempting to malign the Vanjari community with her remarks made during an interview given to a private news channel.

According to the police, both Jarange and Damania were booked under charges related to promoting communal enmity.