Maratha quota stir: Over 11,000 old documents mention Kunbi caste; will issue fresh certificates, says CM

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said 11,530 old records have the mention of Kunbi caste and fresh certificates will be issued from Tuesday, an announcement coming amid violent protests by the Maratha community for quota under the OBC grouping.

Kunbis, a community associated with agriculture, are grouped under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs.

The chief minister also said that a three-member committee of experts will be set up to advise the state government on submission of a proposed curative petition in the Supreme Court in connection with the Maratha quota issue.

He told reporters that the Justice Sandeep Shinde (retired) committee, which was formed earlier to submit a report on how to issue Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community, will submit its report on Tuesday which will be discussed in the cabinet meeting.

Reaching out to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, whose indefinite fast entered the sixth day on Monday, Shinde said a government representative will hold talks with him on Tuesday. "The state government needs some time and he should give it to us," he said.

Shinde also said Jarange should be careful about the course of the quota agitation, apparently referring to violence in some places.

Galvanised by the fast-unto-death protest launched by Jarange, members of the Maratha community are staging demonstrations across Maharashtra demanding the reservation in government jobs and education.

The protests took a violent turn on Monday when the house of an NCP MLA was torched in Beed district. Police have not yet identified the attackers.

Maratha bodies are demanding reservations under the OBC category. Jarange has argued that all Marathas should be given the reservation as Kunbis.

“An expert committee will be formed which will advise the state government for a proposed curative petition, which the state will file before the Supreme Court. The expert committee will have three retired judges,” Shinde said.

The chief minister said he didn't want to go deeper into why the previous (MVA) government failed to retain the Maratha reservation, which was upheld by the Bombay HC earlier but was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The Shinde panel has been examining Nizam-era documents, genealogy, educational and revenue proofs, agreements signed during the Nizam-era, and other related documents required to give Kunbi certificates to Maratha community members in Marathwada.

“This committee will submit its report tomorrow and it will be discussed in the cabinet meeting,” the CM added.

He said this committee has scrutinised 1.72 crore government documents and among them, 11,530 records are found where Kunbi caste was mentioned in the old documents.

'They will get fresh Kunbi caste certificates from tomorrow. I have given instructions to the tehsildars accordingly,” he added.

The CM said a government representative will hold talks with Jarange, who has been observing an indefinite fast since October 25 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, on Tuesday.

"The state government needs some time and he should give it to us. This government will not cheat any community. We are trying to reclaim the Maratha quota in the legal battle before the Supreme Court,” he said.