States » WestPosted at: Oct 23 2026 7:28PM


Fadnavis killing time by claiming clip on Rs 500-crore pay off to Jarange be probed: Raj Thackeray

Mumbai, Oct 23 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder president Raj Thackeray ridiculed the statement made by state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today that there would be a forensic investigation into a viral audio clip which purportedly claims that Rs 500 crore was allegedly paid to Maratha reservation agitator Manoj Jarange Patil through Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s son and Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde.
“The Chief Minister has tried to kill time by saying that he has asked for a forensic report of the audio clip. If you listen to the conversation, you will understand that this is the rape and murder of democracy. Yet, it is a good thing that the Chief Minister agreed that what has been stated in the audio clip is serious and should be investigated,” he said.
Revealing what was stated in the audio clip which was made public by Maratha reservation agitator Jarange Patil on Thursday, MNS founder president wrote in a social media post stating, “Currently, an audio clip called the ‘Friendship File’ is going viral in Maharashtra. You all must have heard it.
“The clip is a discussion between some BJP office-bearers, a senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) official who plays an important role in the BJP’s social media operations, and some YouTube influencers who call themselves impartial political analysts, but are actually BJP propagandists. We have all heard, which revealed, from where somebody gave Rs 500 crores to whom and how to raise a new issue to create religious polarisation to divert people’s attention if people’s efforts are against the government,” he stated.
Raj Thackeray further stated that what has been mentioned in the audio clip must be verified with evidence.
“Yet the Chief Minister said that the audio clip must have been from 2 years ago, and so how did it come out only now and who brought it out? As usual, this shows the real intention of the government. Don’t mislead the public in the name of forensic investigation. First, ensure a fair and impartial investigation. Otherwise people may think that statements about forensic investigation are made merely for your political benefit,” he wrote in his social media post.
Earlier, at a press conference in Jalna on Thursday, Maratha reservation agitator Jarange Patil had played the audio clip before media persons, after which it went viral on social media. However, the authenticity of the audio clip remains unverified so far.
He alleged that attempts were made to defame him and the Maratha reservation movement for three years, saying that there were planned efforts to prevent the Maratha community from getting reservation, and weaken the Maratha reservation agitation.
“I did not take any money from the BJP or give any money to anybody. Yet, there was an attempt to defame me by alleging that I received Rs 500 crore,” Jarange Patil said.
Jarange demanded that the truth about the matter should come out and those who are trying to divide the Maratha community should be investigated.
The audio clip which Jarange Patil played at the press conference on Thursday in Jalna, is supposedly an alleged conversation between BJP activists.
The conversation in the audio clip discussed an idea to bring forward Maratha leaders of the ruling BJP to reduce the growing influence of Jarange Patil in the Maratha community. The names of Maratha MPs like Udayanraje Bhosale, Shivendraraje Bhosale and Narendra Patil cropped up in the audio clip, whose authenticity is yet to be established.
According to those who are heard in the audio clip conversation, Jarange Patil has created public opinion on issues like agriculture, loan waiver and reservation for the Maratha community. The conversation in the audio clip, supposedly between RSS and BJP members, discusses how to create an atmosphere against Jarange Patil, instead of directly responding to the stand taken by him, by enlisting the help of Maratha leaders in the BJP and helping such Maratha leaders financially.
“Jarange has called the BJP as a betrayer of Marathas. So let us counter his influence among Marathas by getting other Maratha leaders like Shivendraraje Bhosale, Udayanraje Bhosale or Annasaheb Patil to speak against Jarange Patil,” according to a conversation heard in the viral audio clip.
The audio clip conversation features a purported discussion among RSS and BJP leaders to bring together Maratha leaders willing to speak out against Jarange Patil, mobilising such anti-Jarange Maratha leaders and financing the expenses of their vehicles and marches.
The audio clip conversation also allegedly discusses the option of using personal funds in such ventures to checkmate Jarange Patil, if it was not possible to spend from BJP funds.
UNI BA SS
Tags: #Fadnavis killing time by claiming clip on Rs 500-crore pay off to Jarange be probed: Raj Thackeray
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