‘A Sting Operation, With A Difference’ At Maratha Leader Jarange Patil’s Rally

Maratha reservation demand’s uncrowned king Manoj Jarange Patil is known for his stinging tongue. His two favourite targets are Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s senior OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal. While attacking them, Jarange has crossed the limit occasionally and has had to apologise, too. As the intensity of the Maratha agitation is waning for a variety of reasons, Jarange has warned the government of staging a mass rally in Delhi to press the demand afresh. The protest action led by him in Mumbai a couple of weeks ago elicited a huge response but the government resolution issued subsequently is now mired in controversy. Hence, to keep the steam up, Jarange had organised a meeting of his close associates at his village, Antarwali Sarati. As the meet was underway at an open field, those present started running helter-skelter suddenly. The reason was that a swarm of honeybees had descended on the group, forcing the activists to abandon the discussion. Fortunately for Jarange, some of them had a shawl with them. They covered the leader and took him to a safer place. In the reconvened meeting, Jarange did not forget to warn Bhujbal in his trademark style. But the social media discussion centred on the poetic justice dispensed to Jarange. “If you bite others, beware of a fallout,” some suggested wryly.