Controversy Over Maharashtra's Plan to Issue Kunbi Certificates

Mumbai, Sep 3 (PTI) OBC activist Laxman Hake has strongly opposed the Maharashtra government's decision to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas and warned that the Other Backward Classes might protest against it.

Hake, who has been persistently opposing the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC quota, demanded that political leaders clarify if they intend to dilute the OBC reservations.

Previously, he took a stand against activist Manoj Jarange’s call for granting Marathas reservation under the OBC category.

This debate arose when activist Manoj Jarange ended his five-day hunger strike after the state government assured compliance with most of his demands, including issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. These certificates would allow Marathas to access the reservation benefits currently available to OBCs.

To address this, the Maharashtra government announced forming a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas who can present historical evidence of Kunbi ancestry. The Kunbi community is recognized as an OBC group in the state, and they traditionally engage in farming.

A government resolution (GR) from the social justice and special assistance department mentioned implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer to further this initiative.

However, Hake criticized the GR and asserted that the government lacked the authority to issue such directives concerning reservations. He argued that the gazetteer does not classify Marathas as socially backward and deserving of reservation benefits.

He questioned, “Who claims that revenue records in the gazetteer justify their eligibility for reservations?”

Furthermore, Hake pointed out discrepancies within the gazetteer, noting that it categorizes Banjaras as a Scheduled Tribe, and sarcastically questioned whether the government plans to offer ST reservations to them. He warned that this move could create additional complications rather than resolve existing issues.

Emphasizing the intrusion on the OBC quota, he urged political leaders to clarify their stance on this contentious issue.

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