During a live television interview, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde found himself momentarily distracted by his young grandson, who repeatedly called out to him in the middle of the broadcast.
Shinde had been speaking on a news channel about the recent Maratha quota agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil when the interruption occurred. His grandson could be heard in the background affectionately calling, “Baba, Baba!”
The Deputy Chief Minister, though appearing unsettled, attempted to manage the situation discreetly. First, he tried to signal with his eyes, then gestured with his hands for his grandson to move aside. At one point, he was heard telling the child, “Are, ithe kaam chaalu aahe…” (“Hey, work is going on here…”).
The incident lightened the mood of the broadcast. The anchor, viewers and later social media users noted the spontaneity of the exchange, with many describing the moment as endearing once clips began circulating online.
Shinde had been commenting on Jarange’s decision to withdraw from his five-day fast in south Mumbai. Jarange had launched the protest to press for Maratha quota demands and declared the agitation a success after the Maharashtra government agreed to his terms.
On Tuesday, at Azad Maidan, the activist ended his fast by accepting a glass of fruit juice from senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation.
Speaking to his supporters, Jarange said: “We have won.” He urged demonstrators to disperse from the site following discussions with the sub-committee, which included Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Uday Samant, and Manikrao Kokate. The final draft resolution was presented to him in the afternoon, leading to the conclusion of the protest.
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