Maratha quota: Govt accepts panel report

Eknath Shinde with Manoj Jarange during his fast in September. Pic/PTI

The state government on Tuesday accepted the first report of a committee headed by retired High Court Judge Sandeep Shinde, appointed to decide the procedure for granting Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in the Marathwada region. But, activist Manoj Jarange said on Tuesday that the community would not accept an "incomplete reservation".

Jarange said, "I have spoken to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde....I have made clear my stand once again that an incomplete reservation for the Marathas is not acceptable. The government should announce reservation for the Marathas in the entire state. We [Marathas across the state] are brothers and have a
blood relation."

Manoj Jarange

The process of the issuance of Kunbi certificates has begun, an official statement said. The state cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, also decided that the OBC Commission would collect fresh empirical data to assess the educational and social backwardness of the Maratha community.

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Kunbi, a community associated with agriculture, is grouped under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in Maharashtra and enjoys reservation benefits in education and government jobs. These decisions by the government came amid activist Manoj Jarange's indefinite fast demanding quota for the Maratha community, which entered the seventh day on Tuesday, and incidents of violence mainly in the Marathwada region. Talking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, the CM said it is the responsibility of the government to provide the reservation to the Maratha community. "The government is committed to giving the Maratha community a reservation which is fool-proof and that can pass the legal muster. The reservation will be given without disturbing the quotas of other communities," CM Shinde said.

CM Eknath Shinde with Manoj Jarange during his fast in Sept. Pic/PTI

The cabinet also decided to form a three-member panel to be headed by retired Judge Dilip Bhosale to advise the government on the legal issues related to the Maratha quota demand. Retired judges Sandeep Shinde and Maroti Gaikwad are the two other members of the panel.
Agencies

Oct 25
Day Jarange started second hunger strike