Maratha quota issue: Panel examining Nizam-era documents gets extension till Dec 24 to submit report

CM Eknath Shinde/ File Photo

The Maharashtra government has granted an extension until December 24 to the committee tasked with establishing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas, stated a report in the PTI. This development followed an indefinite hunger strike initiated by activist Manoj Jarange in Jalna district on Wednesday, demanding reservations for the Maratha community, the report added.

Kunbis, traditionally associated with agriculture, is categorised under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Maharashtra. The Maratha community, led by Jarange, has been advocating for Kunbi certificates for Marathas, which would facilitate their inclusion in the OBC category for reservations.

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According to the PTI report, a government resolution (GR) stated that the committee, chaired by retired judge Sandeep Shinde, has been scrutinising Nizam-era documents, genealogical records, educational and revenue documentation, agreements inked during the Nizam era, and other pertinent materials required to issue Kunbi certificates to Maratha community members in Marathwada.

This panel was established by the state government to delineate the SOP, encompassing the legal and administrative framework, for the issuance of caste certificates to individuals from the Maratha community, historically referred to as Kunbis in Nizam-era documents, the report added.

The committee includes members such as the Additional Chief Secretary (revenue), Principal Secretary (law and justice), and collectors from relevant districts, with the Divisional Commissioner of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly known as Aurangabad) serving as the member secretary.

The GR cites delays in the examination of these documents due to their being primarily in Urdu, Persian, and Modi scripts, which were formerly used for official communication in Marathi. Additionally, the unavailability of proficient translators with knowledge of these languages and scripts has contributed to the slowdown, the report stated.

Since Marathwada was administered from Hyderabad, the Nizam's seat of power, numerous documents are located in the city. Furthermore, the GR mentions that officials in Telangana are preoccupied with preparations for upcoming assembly elections, thereby delaying the examination process. As a result, the committee has been granted an extension until December 24 to furnish its report to the government.

The GR discloses that approximately 1.5 crore records have been verified, and the work is currently underway.