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Journalism of Courage
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has cancelled his scheduled appearance at a public event at Malegaon Co-operative Sugar Mill in Baramati on Saturday afternoon amid protests by Maratha Kranti Morcha activists.
Since morning, scores of agitators had gathered outside the mill vowing to protest if Ajit Pawar turned up for the event. As part of the ongoing Maratha quota agitation headed by Jalna-based activist Manoj Jarange Patil, protesters have announced plans to prohibit the entry of all political leaders in villages and stop them from holding public events.
On Saturday, director of the mill Rajendra Dhavan Patil said they were told that Pawar was not well. “We got the news from this office that he would not be able to come for the programme because of health reasons,” he said.
The deputy chief minister was to preside over the formal starting of the mill. Located in Baramati taluka of Pune district, the control of Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill was won by Ajit Pawar’s group in the last election. Balasaheb Patil Taware is the chairman of the mill.
Most mills carry out the formal puja of the fist bundle of cane and put it ceremonially in a cane pan which is symbolic of the start of the season. Real-time crushing would start post-November 1, the date declared by the state government.
While Dhavan Patil said they were told of Pawar’s ill health, speculations are rife that he had cancelled his appearance to avoid facing agitating Maratha youths. Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil has been fasting to seek reservation for the community after the state government failed to adhere to his time limit.
State government ministers and BJP leaders are being greeted with black flags in places they visit. On Saturday, Dr Bhagawan Karad, Union Minister For State For Finance, was greeted with black flags during his visit to Nanded. Many villages have banned the entry of politicians till the demand for Maratha reservation is met.
Pawar, who also hails from Baramati, had wrestled the control of the Malegaon mill from the previous panel. Malegaon mill is known to pay good prices in the state. While Ajit Pawar was invited for the programme, Sharad Pawar and his daughter and MP Supriya Sule were not invited.
