Maharashtra Minister Issues Final Warning to Officials Over Kunbi Certificate Delays
State minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, has issued a stern warning to officials from the Marathwada region for their lack of cooperation in issuing Kunbi certificates based on the Hyderabad Gazette. On Wednesday, he admitted that some officials are deliberately delaying the process and harassing applicants, despite a government order to facilitate these certificates.
Complaints and Government Response
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange recently complained that government officials were not following the order to issue Kunbi certificates to Marathas from Marathwada, based on historical records from the Hyderabad Gazette. In response, Vikhe Patil acknowledged the issue, stating, "I also received some complaints that some officials who have the responsibility of issuing the Kunbi certificates were not doing their duties. They were not being cooperative towards the applicants waiting to get Kunbi certificates." He made these remarks during a press conference in Ahilyanagar.
Final Warning and Potential Action
The minister emphasized that officials will face a final warning to start issuing certificates proactively or risk disciplinary action. He revealed that only around 300 certificates have been issued so far, urging for an acceleration of the process. "I have told Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar's divisional commissioner to issue a last warning to the officials to start following govt's order. We will initiate action against those officials who will not work as per the requirement," Vikhe Patil declared. This move aims to ensure more certificates are issued efficiently based on the gazette records.
Background on the Maratha Reservation Issue
This development follows a hunger strike by Manoj Jarange in Mumbai last year, demanding OBC status for the Maratha community. In response, the Maharashtra government formed a cabinet sub-committee led by Vikhe Patil to address these demands. After discussions, the government issued a Government Resolution (GR) to establish village-level committees to identify community members from Marathwada in the Hyderabad Gazette. Jarange believes that effective implementation of this order could enable most Marathas to obtain Kunbi certificates, granting them reservation under the OBC quota.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions in Maharashtra's efforts to address Maratha reservation demands, with officials now under pressure to comply with government directives to avoid penalties.
