Skip Nizam records for OBC certificate, Maratha activist tells govt

Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to drop the clause of genealogy while giving Kunbi caste certificate to Marathas from Marathwada for availing reservation benefits under the OBC category, while a former state minister met him with an appeal to end his 10-day-old fast over the issue.

Jarange, on an indefinite fast since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district demanding reservation for Marathas in jobs and education, sought an amendment to a government resolution (GR) on providing Kunbi caste certificate to community members from the Marathwada region, before ending his agitation.

Speaking to the media at the protest site, he welcomed the GR but sought removal of the condition of providing genealogical records while issuing Kunbi caste certificate to Marathas from Marathwada in central Maharashtra.

The GR issued on Thursday stipulates that Kunbi caste certificates would be issued only after community members provide genealogical records from Nizam-era.

On Wednesday, the state cabinet decided that Kunbi caste certificates would be issued to Marathas from the region who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as Kunbis. Marathwada was part of the erstwhile Nizam-ruled Hyderabad kingdom before it became part of Maharashtra.

The GR was issued after the cabinet decision and a copy of the order was sent to the quota activist by a senior government official.

Jarange argued that such a condition should be dropped to ensure fair access to reservation benefits.

Kunbis, a community associated with agriculture-related occupations, are grouped under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs. After the cabinet decision, Maratha community members from Marathwada recognised as Kunbis can avail of OBC quota.

Former state minister Arjun Khotkar met Jarange and urged him to end his indefinite fast.

In response, Jarange conveyed his willingness to end the hunger strike only after the amendment sought by him is made in the GR.

Speaking on the occasion, Khotkar stated, "We are committed to this resolution and I have provided this in writing. I have come on behalf of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde."

Khotkar extended an invitation to Jarange to come to Mumbai for further discussions on the quota issue.

"The chief minister has entrusted me with the responsibility of escorting Jarange and his delegation to Mumbai. We will engage with legal experts to discuss the matter thoroughly," he said.

Khotkar claimed Jarange gave a positive response for discussion on the Maratha reservation issue.

The cabinet decision came after protests by members of the Maratha community across the state in view of police action on pro-quota protesters in Jalna district on September 1.

The police had baton charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob at Antarwali Sarathi after protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift Jarange to hospital. Several persons, including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses set ablaze in violence.