Reservation issue: State-appointed panel can now collect data on all Marathas for Kunbi certificates

The government of Maharashtra has expanded the scope of a committee to issue Kunbi certificates, enabling Marathas to access OBC reservation benefits. The committee will work at the state level and collect historical data to issue the certificates. The government has also appointed three institutes to collect empirical data on the Maratha community's backwardness. Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who called off a hunger strike, expressed satisfaction with the development but said the protest would continue until the government provided a copy of the government resolution specifying the reservation.

Mumbai: Keeping its promise to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, the state has issued a government resolution (GR) expanding the scope of the committee to enable the community members across Maharashtra to get Kunbi certificates that would pave the way for them getting benefits under the OBC reservation. The Eknath Shinde-led government has also asked the State Backward Classes Commission to collect empirical data to establish the backwardness of the community.

On Saturday morning, housing minister Atul Save and employment guarantee scheme minister Sandipan Bhumare met Jarange-Patil at Galaxy Superspeciality Hospital and handed him a copy of the GR.

The committee, headed by retired Bombay high court judge Sandeep Shinde, will now lay down guidelines for the district administration to obtain historical data to issue the certificate and submit its report by December 24, the GR issued on Friday night said.

To be sure, when Jarange-Patil called off his hunger strike after nine days on Thursday, he along with chief minister Shinde announced that the government had time till January 2 to decide on the Maratha reservation issue. However, a day later, while speaking to reporters outside a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, the activist claimed that the deadline was December 24. The government chose not to contradict his claim.

On Saturday morning, housing minister Atul Save and employment guarantee scheme minister Sandipan Bhumare met Jarange-Patil at Galaxy Superspeciality Hospital and handed him a copy of the GR.

“The committee, which was appointed last month, was only to focus on central Maharashtra. But its scope has been expanded as demanded by Jarande-Patil. The committee will now work at the state-level with the help of collectors to enable all Marathas to obtain Kunbi certificates,” Bhumare said.

Jarange-Patil expressed his satisfaction over the development. “I am happy that our brothers from the rest of Maharashtra would be able to get the reservation. But the protest will continue until the government hands us a copy of the GR stipulating the reservation.”

The committee will now have its meeting again on Monday with divisional commissioners and other members to decide the future course of action. The district collectors have started opening special cells to collect data for issuing Kunbi certificates.

The collectors have also been directed to classify the cases registered against the Maratha protesters, a senior official from the general administration department said. “The cases related to violence and damage to property will continue as per law, but the ones registered during a peaceful protest can be withdrawn.”

The state has decided to appoint Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, and Indian Institute of Population Studies to collect empirical data on the community.

“The data collected by the M G Gaikwad committee in 2018 could not establish the backwardness of the Maratha community. The Supreme Court, while pointing at the report, quashed the reservation. The state government is planning to present fresh data during the hearing on the curative petition. The empirical data is expected to be collected in one month,” the official quoted above said.

The housing minister added, “All the six divisions in Maharashtra will have separate agencies appointed to collect the empirical data.”

Meanwhile, Jarange-Patil reiterated that the deadline given to the state for deciding on the reservation was December 24.

“I had clarified to the government delegation on Thursday that they would not get even a day more to fulfil their promise. The additional time (two months from the October 24 deadline set by him earlier) was given to the government only after I realised that Kunbi certificates needed to be given to Marathas from across the state for which the scope of the committee must be expanded. The certificate would be given to all who could produce the records and then to blood relatives, relatives,” he said.

To this, Bhumare said, “The difference between the two dates is six days, and it hardly matters. We are trying to complete the procedure even before it (December 24).”

Activist likely to shifted for better treatment

Jarange-Patil, who has been admitted to Galaxy Superspeciality Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar since Thursday evening, is likely to be shifted to Mumbai or Pune for further treatment.

“It all depends on the advice by doctors and the wish of Jarange-Patil,” Bhumare said.

Mangesh Chivate, head of the chief minister medical assistance cell, said, “We have left it to Jarange-Patil to decide whether he wants to shift to Pune or Mumbai for better treatment. The doctors treating him at Galaxy Superspeciality Hospital are in favour of relocating him. The activist, however, wants to continue in the same hospital for at least the next few days.”

The activist was admitted to the hospital with nausea, low blood pressure, and swelling in his kidneys. “I am feeling much better today,” Jarange-Patil told media persons on Saturday.