Pune: Members of the Maratha community staged an agitation outside the official residence of cabinet minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Tuesday, alleging that the state government failed to keep its promises made to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange. Vikhe Patil heads the cabinet sub-committee formed to address the Maratha reservation issue and had visited Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district after Jarange started his agitation on May 30. Following assurances from Vikhe Patil, Jarange withdrew his agitation.
Protesters Demand Kunbi Certificates for All Marathas
On Tuesday, Ramesh Kere, a protester, said the government promised to issue Kunbi certificates as per the Hyderabad Gazette. “The government in the Government Resolution (GR) has mentioned that only those members who have documents before 1967 with the Kunbi mention are eligible for the certificates and can avail reservation benefits. However, we want Kunbi certificates for all members of the Maratha community from the Marathwada region. Since the government is not fulfilling its promises, we had to stage an agitation at Vikhe Patil’s residence,” he said.
Background of the Agitation
The Maratha reservation issue has been a contentious political topic in Maharashtra. Manoj Jarange, a prominent activist, had launched a protest in May demanding Kunbi certificates for Marathas, which would enable them to access reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The state government formed a cabinet sub-committee led by Vikhe Patil to negotiate with Jarange and address the demands. After several rounds of talks, Jarange called off his agitation based on assurances from the government.
However, the protesters now claim that the government's GR restricts eligibility to those with pre-1967 documents, excluding a large section of the Maratha community. They argue that all Marathas from Marathwada should be granted Kunbi certificates, regardless of documentary evidence. The agitation outside Vikhe Patil's residence underscores the growing frustration among community members who feel betrayed by the government's partial implementation of the agreement.
Government's Stance
As of now, there has been no official response from Minister Vikhe Patil or the state government regarding the protest. The sub-committee is expected to review the demands and may hold further discussions with community leaders to resolve the impasse. The protest remains peaceful, with demonstrators vowing to continue until their demands are met.
