On third day of Maratha quota protest, no headway in meetings, Jarange threatens to give up water

The cabinet sub-committee, led by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil held a meeting in the afternoon where they broadly discussed all the demands made by Jarange Patil. Later in the day, the sub-committee held a meeting with state Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf. Retired Justice Sandeep Shinde, who heads another panel to study the modalities of Maratha reservation, was also present at the meeting.

At the meeting with the Advocate General, it was found that an attempt at a blanket decision to sanction Marathas with Kunbi status was not possible given technicalities involved that needed to be addressed.

It was observed that even if the government was to hastily give a nod, it would not withstand legal and constitutional validity.

At the end of the meeting Vikhe Patil said, “We have started the process in all seriousness, but there are some legal aspects which cannot be disregarded. The state government will require more time to adequately consult legal experts on implementing the Hyderabad gazette to grant Kunbi status to Marathas. We are working seriously to find a solution,” he said.

“The Advocate General Biren Saraf and retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde have been asked to study whether the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers can legally support such a move,” Vikhe-Patil said.

“The Supreme Court had in the recent past observed that Marathas and Kunbis are not the same. We cannot override that. But we are open to discussions to find a workable solution,” he added.

He said the sub-committee will hold a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

A source said, “At the internal meetings held with the AG and legal department officials, it came to notice that terming the whole of the Maratha community as kunbi in Hyderabad gazette will not withstand legal validity. Instead, individuals will have to ascertain their kunbi status with proof to avail certificates and quota under OBC.”

Speaking in Solapur district earlier in the day, Patil had said that the Maratha community never faced untouchability and was not backward by caste, but shrinking landholdings and falling agricultural income had pushed its members into financial distress.

“The problem started when farm income declined, and Maratha families could not afford better education for their children, such as costly medical studies. That is why they are seeking reservation in education and jobs. The Centre’s Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota, already upheld by the Supreme Court, provides them an avenue of support,” Patil told reporters in the morning.

A minister who was part of the sub-committe pointed out that Maratha kunbis in Hyderabad gazettes encompass various communities, including Maratha Marwaris, Jains, Brahmins and Lingayats. Therefore, entire Maratha community cannot qualify for kunbi status. The minister added that this has to be based on scrutinising an individual backed by documentary proof to substantiate their kunbi claims.

In the absence of any visible solution, the process of meetings continued late into the night.

NCP president and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who was away in Pune, returned to Mumbai. Shiv Sena president and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who was away in his native village Daregaon in Satara district also returned to Mumbai.

Manoj Jarange Patil has been on an indefinite strike since August 27 at Azad Maidan. Thousands of followers across the state have expressed solidarity with the Maratha activist. Doctors have been regularly monitoring his health.

The day was marked with political leaders cutting across party lines, making a beeline to meet Jarange Patil. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, after meeting Jarange-Patil, urged the CM to convene a political party meeting. She said, “The CM should hold a special one-day session and come up with a solution to Maratha reservation.”

Sule also faced Maratha reservation activists’ wrath as they gheraoed her vehicle and some hurled water bottles. The anger was against NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, who suggested an amendment to the Constitution to accommodate Maratha reservation.

Jarange Patil has been insisting he wants the government to issue a Government Resolution stating all Marathas in Marathwada region are Kunbis. His demand is that all Marathas listed under the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes should be issued kunbi certificates to avail OBC quota. His demand also included that this should be followed by kunbi status to Aundh and Bombay gazettes.

(with PTI inputs)

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