Kolhapur: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Monday assured Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati that he would spearhead the agitation for Kunbi certificates for Marathas in western Maharashtra.
The meeting took place at the New Palace in Kolhapur. It follows recent criticism from Shahu Chhatrapati, who had accused Jarange of focusing exclusively on the Marathwada region and neglecting the Maratha community in Kolhapur and its neighbouring districts. Shahu Chhatrapati had previously noted that Jarange's focus appeared limited to Marathwada because of the region's specific history under Nizam rule.
Following the meeting, Shahu Chhatrapati stated that Jarange has been briefed on the British-era Kolhapur Gazetteer. The historical document reportedly contains hundreds of thousands of Kunbi records, providing a natural basis for Marathas with such lineage to receive reservations under the other backward class (OBC) category.
Jarange highlighted that his agitation has already yielded results in the region. According to him, approximately 1.4 lakh Kunbi records were discovered in Kolhapur district alone, leading to the issuance of 35,000 Kunbi caste certificates to date.
"Marathas from this region have resources at their disposal but are suffering due to a lack of reservation. They must step out and fight," Jarange said. "They may be doing well now, but one cannot predict when difficult times will come. I will identify a suitable location in western Maharashtra to launch this phase of the agitation. If every Maratha leaves their home to join the protest, the government will be forced to implement reservation the very next day."
In addition to the reservation demand, the activist also called for the establishment of a separate ministry dedicated to the welfare of the Maratha and Kunbi communities.
