Shinde govt relents on Maratha quota, decides to expand Kunbi OBC status

The state has proposed to amend the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Rules, 2012, by adding the term ‘sage-soyare’ (i.e., relatives from the family tree) as demanded by Jarange-Patil.

Maratha Morcha supporters to celebrate at Shivaji Chowk after Manoj Jarange Patil calls off protest; Shinde Govt has released a draft ordinance in response to the demands made by the Maratha quota activisthttps://t.co/Ri1XfqZdMZ pic.twitter.com/ETp9TCN0ur

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) January 27, 2024

The term ‘sage-soyare’ includes relatives of the applicant’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather and earlier generations, forming out of marriages within the same caste. This will also include relations forming out of marriages, again within the same caste.

Accepting the government’s formulation, Jarange-Patil said he is “happy over the manner in which Chief Minister Eknath Shinde handled the matter”. Shinde drove to Navi Mumbai and offered juice so that he could break his fast in the morning.

Jarange-Patil, who has been at the forefront of the agitation for Maratha reservation, had planned to march to Mumbai on Saturday and stage a hunger strike at Azad Maidan. But state ministers Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Deepak Kesarkar along with a delegation of senior officials from the social justice department held talks with him Friday night and reached an agreement.

After breaking his fast, Jarange-Patil said, “We had gathered here to ensure certificates and Kunbi recognition to all 54 lakh people. We also demanded that ‘sage-soyare’ of those 54 lakh should also get Kunbi certificate… You have issued notification for this and we thank you for that. The ‘sage-soyare’ notification means that the entire family tree of everyone who has a Kunbi certificate will get the Kunbi certificate. I request you not to insult this arrangement. This should be permanent.”

Shinde said the decision was for the benefit of people and not for votes. “This is a historic moment. I also belong to a farmer family and I know the pain of poor Marathas. I had publicly taken oath in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and I am fulfilling it… Maratha community will be given all the benefits given to OBCs till the whole issue is sorted… No community will face any injustice while doing this,” he said.

The amended rules suggest that Kunbi certification will be provided to blood relatives and sage-soyare of Kunbi caste certificate holders. “Provided further that, upon submitting an affidavit by the applicant establishing the relations with his blood relatives i.e., uncle, nephew and other members of his family, as well as patriarchal relatives who have found Kunbi records being the applicant’s sage-soyare and after verifying such Kunbi certificates of blood relatives and sage-soyare by conducting field enquiry and verification, Kunbi caste certificate shall be issued immediately under the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Rules, 2012,” the proposed amendment states.

“All the sage-soyare in relation of the persons belonging to Maratha community whose record of being Kunbi has been found shall be given the Kunbi caste certificates on the basis of the Kunbi records of such persons belonging to Maratha community,” it states.

Further, it states, “The sage-soyare of the person belonging to the Maratha community whose Kunbi record has been found shall be the one amongst the relations within whom the marriages are held traditionally. But the sage-soyare shall be considered among the relations/relatives from the patriarchal relatives as well as the relations forming out of marriages and proof being given to prove that the marriage is within the same caste, the Kunbi caste certificate shall be issued after field enquiry.”

“The relatives being sage-soyare forming out of marriages within the same caste in the State, of a person who has the record of being Kunbi, may apply for Kunbi caste certificate. Provided that, proof of such marriage within the same caste, is submitted, as well as established in the field enquiry, and upon verification of the documents related to such Kunbi records,” it states.