Amid ongoing protests demanding Maratha quota rights, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the formation of a committee that will deliver its recommendations within a month regarding the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas from the Marathwada region.
The Kunbi community, traditionally associated with agriculture, falls under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in Maharashtra.
Shinde conveyed, “A committee was established with the mandate to provide recommendations within one month on the process of issuing Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community from Marathwada. The state government is taking this matter seriously, and we are actively working to find a fair resolution.” He shared this during a press conference.
Marathas have been persistently advocating for reservation in both educational institutions and government job opportunities.
The reservation in education and government jobs that was previously granted to the Maratha community under the socially and educationally backward category in 2018 was invalidated by the Supreme Court in May 2021. The court’s decision was based on various grounds, including the imposition of a 50 percent cap on total reservations.
Shinde further commented, “I have directed officials to thoroughly examine the Supreme Court’s verdict on Maratha quota and recommend viable solutions. We must establish the backwardness of the Maratha community.”
However, Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been on a hunger strike in Jalna district, emphasized that he would not call off the protest until a government order (GR) is issued to grant reservation in education and employment opportunities to the Maratha community.
The village of Antarwali Sarathi in Jalna district has become the epicenter of the renewed agitation for quota rights. On a fateful Friday, police resorted to baton charges and deployed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in the village after protesters allegedly obstructed the authorities’ attempt to move Jarange to a hospital.
This incident resulted in injuries to numerous individuals, including 40 police personnel, and witnessed the torching of more than 15 state transport buses during the ensuing violence.
