Manoj Jarange Patil’s advocacy for the Maratha reservation and the protest movement for this demand concluded with partial success. Following an extensive three-hour midnight discussion on the night of 26th January, the Maharashtra state government promptly issued a revised ordinance addressing all of Manoj Jarange’s demands. Consequently, the Maratha march, which had been on the outskirts of Mumbai, will now return in jubilation to celebrate this development.
For the past several months, the Maratha reservation issue has been mired in controversy. A review petition was filed in the Supreme Court. The government was trying to provide a reservation at the state level which would stand the legal and constitutional test as well. Manoj Jarange Patil was on his way to Mumbai from Antarwali Sarati to hold an agitation to demand the Maratha reservation. Lakhs of Marathas accompanied him in the march. Manoj Jarange held a massive public meeting in Vashi on 26th January.
Earlier, a government delegation had interacted with him. Manoj Jarange Patil had given an ultimatum for the day as the final solution was not reached in this discussion. The government delegation again held discussions with Manoj Jarange’s delegation and agreed to all the demands of Manoj Jarange. Importantly, Manoj Jarange has taken government decisions and written letters on all these demands.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde announced that the Maratha community will be given all the rights of OBCs and all the concessions of OBCs till they get reservations. Manoj Jarange Patil has concluded his hunger strike, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally visiting Jarange’s protest site in Vashi to offer him fruit juice. Patil opted to end his fast by consuming the juice provided by Chief Minister Shinde.
In the wee hours of the night, Deepak Kesarkar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, both members of the government delegation, presented the official gazette confirming the acceptance of all the demands put forth by Manoj Jarange. The demands are as explained below:
The ordinance to become a law in the upcoming session
The ordinance on the Maratha reservation will be converted into law in the upcoming session of the state legislative assembly. The next six months have been given to the state government by these protestors to pass the law.
Caste certificate distribution data will be provided
Manoj Jarange Patil had contended throughout his agitation that all Marathas are essentially Kunbis (a caste predominantly involved in farming in Maharashtra). In Maharashtra, Kunbis are covered in the OBC category. Therefore the demand was that all Marathas be given ‘Maratha-Kunbi’ caste certificates. This will automatically enable the Marathas to be eligible for the OBC reservation. To verify the legitimacy of the demand, the administration was involved in checking the records where Marathas were notified as Kunbis. Many such records were found.
Telling about the acceptance of the first demand, Manoj Jarange Patil said, “As many as 54 lakh records of the Maratha community have been recovered. A certificate of records found should be issued immediately. Our fight was that certificates should be issued to their family members immediately. The process has begun. The government will provide the data in a few days.”
Relatives also to get caste certificates
In many cases, records of Marathas being Kunbi were found for a family but no records were found for relatives of the same family. Manoj Jarange Patil had demanded that reservations should also be given to the relatives of those whose Kunbi records can be found. This demand was also accepted and an official government decision was issued in this regard.
Notably, the government has not accepted the demand for a Kunbi certificate for all Marathas at a stroke. The government is examining the records. According to well-informed government sources, the upcoming amendment to the Caste Certificate and Verification Regulation Act will incorporate the term ‘relatives,’ specifically focusing on those within the existing patriarchal system.
If proof of Kunbi caste is available of blood relatives i.e. father, grandfather, great-grandfather or relatives born out of a pre-caste marriage, applicants will be given a Kunbi certificate. If the affidavit is given, the certificate will be issued by the caste certificate authority after a home inquiry. If anyone has any objections to the amendment, they will have to submit it to the state government by 16th February. The state government will then take a decision and a final notification will be issued.
Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam said, “Who is to be called relative? This has to be fixed. If not, there may be a fuss about this topic. When using this term, it has to be decided that it should be used if there are close relatives. Again, we have to decide whether the relatives from the boy’s side or the girl’s side are to be called relatives. Until a clear meaning of the word is determined, the word alone may add to the complexity of the reservation.”
Cases withdrawn across the state
Notably, a few months ago, the Maratha reservation movement had turned violent. Many cases of arson and damage to public and private properties were reported. Cases were registered against various Maratha protesters across the state at various places including Antarwali Sarati where a fierce fight between the protestors and police force had left many police personnel seriously injured. The injured police personnel also included women police. Manoj Jarange Patil had also demanded the withdrawal of these cases against Maratha protestors. He said the demand has been accepted and the process of withdrawing the cases has started.
Government decision to add genealogy
The genealogies of Maratha families were not attached across various generations despite there being significant Kunbi records available in the state government records. Attaching the genealogy was also among the demands of the Maratha reservation agitators. A committee has been formed at every taluka level to add genealogy. Fewer records have been found in Marathwada. For this, the 1884 Gazette of the Marathas will be considered. The government has admitted that it will give the Gazette to the Shinde Committee and study how it can be converted into a law. It mentions that Marathwada has the highest number of Kunbis.
Shinde committee gets extension
Manoj Jarange had demanded that the Shinde committee be given an extension to find records in Marathwada. The demand has been accepted and the Shinde committee has been given an extension. While the state government claims to have found more than 54 lakh Kunbi records in the state, Maharashtra has the lowest number of records at 30,000-32,000 in Marathwada. The Shinde Committee’s survey found that Beed district had the highest number of records recorded between 1880 and 1890. However, apart from Beed, documents of these records were not found in Dharashiv, Latur and Nanded districts.
It was believed that there were no ‘Kunbis’ in Marathwada as compared to western Maharashtra. However, after examining the records, things became clearer. The lack of surnames when searching for genealogy is causing problems. Administrative sources believe that there may be difficulties in registering a legacy with an affidavit. The issuance of Kunbi certificates started in October 2023. So far, 12,000 out of 32,000 people have been issued Kunbi certificates. Manoj Jarange Patil demanded an extension of Justice Shinde’s committee due to poor record in Marathwada
Marathas to get benefits in education just like OBCs
OBC concessions will apply to the Maratha community in education. In the first phase of this, 4772 Maratha students will get a certificate in this regard. Eknath Shinde announced that the Maratha community will be given the rights of OBCs and all the concessions of OBCs till they get a reservation by law. Shinde said, “Marathas protested patiently. The state government has accepted all your demands. The state government will work to provide justice to all the corporations and government undertakings meant for the Maratha community. I promise here that this government will fulfil all the demands of the Maratha community and I also congratulate Manoj Jarange.”
Political reactions
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “On the occasion of the birth anniversary of late Shiv Sena Thane district chief Anand Dighe, we organise people-oriented programmes. That is why we have given justice to the community by making a big decision for the Maratha community on this day.”
After the Maratha community called for reservation, the OBC community also staged protests across the state. OBC leaders had opposed the Maratha reservation from reserved seats for OBCs. The government has recently declared the allocation of reservations for the Maratha community within the OBC quota. This decision has elicited dissatisfaction from OBC leader and cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
Bhujbal said, “We have to study whether OBCs are being wronged or Marathas are being cheated. They are demanding that all cases be withdrawn. But should the cases against those who burnt houses be withdrawn? Manoj Jarange Patil said that the government should not do new recruitments and reserve seats for them (Marathas). But how many seats to keep reserved? Jarange demanded that 100 per cent education be made free for all members of the Maratha community till the review petition is in court. But why only the Marathas? Why not free education to OBCs, Dalits, Tribals, and Open categories?”
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray posted on his X handle, “Congratulations to Manoj Jarange Patil. The government accepted all your demands! Now only reservation is left. Ask the Chief Minister when Marathas will get a reservation so that our Maratha brothers and sisters will understand the real situation! It is expected that there will be transparency before the Lok Sabha elections!”
Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has clarified what kind of cases will be withdrawn. Devendra Fadnavis said, “The cases have been ordered to be withdrawn and cases of protest will be withdrawn. However, cases of burning houses, direct attacks, and burning of ST buses cannot be withdrawn without a court order.”