Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar group) MLA Prakash Solanke on Thursday claimed arson at his residence in Maharashtra's Beed district during the ongoing Maratha quota stir was a pre-planned attack aimed at harming him and a handiwork of miscreants and people associated with illegal businesses.
Solanke's residence was set on fire and vandalised on Monday allegedly by Maratha reservation agitators.
He alleged that out of 21 people arrested for the attack so far, eight were non-Marathas.
Addressing a press conference in the central Maharashtra district three days after his home was torched, the legislator claimed some of his political opponents were out to harm him.
Giving details of the arson and vandalization, Solanke recounted, "There were 200 to 250 people who had come well prepared with stones, petrol bombs and weapons in their bags. It was a pre-planned attack and the attackers had an intention to hurt me. But the attackers couldn't reach the place where I was sitting in my house." The MLA said some of the Maratha quota agitators tried to stop the attackers.
"There were agitators who were stopping these attackers. Among these 200 to 250 attackers, there were miscreants and those engaged in illegal businesses... it can be seen in CCTV footage. I have handed over the CCTV footage to the police. So far, 21 accused have been arrested in this case filed by the police. Out of these 21, eight are from non-Maratha communities," Solanke said.
Asked about the loss he has suffered, the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader said, "I have not yet counted the exact loss, but it could be in the range of Rs 2.5 crore-Rs 3 crore. Three four wheelers along with many two-wheelers of visitors and the police were torched during the attack." Beed district saw large-scale violence on Monday (October 30) during the agitation seeking reservation in government jobs and education for the Maratha community.
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