In light of recent incidents of violence related to the Maratha reservation issue in various parts of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached out to activist Manoj Jarange over the phone on Tuesday. He assured that a definitive decision regarding granting Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community would be made during the state cabinet's meeting scheduled for later in the day.
Since October 25, Jarange has been demanding reservations for the Maratha people in his home hamlet of Antarwali Sarati in the Jalna district through an indefinite hunger strike. After a satisfactory discussion with CM Shinde, Jarange started consuming water during his protest, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. Maratha community members have been staging protests in different parts of the state seeking reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. At some places, quota supporters vandalised and torched the residences of some politicians. A curfew has been imposed in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district after incidents of violence.
CM Shinde called up Jarange on Tuesday morning and enquired about his health, the CMO statement said. CM Shinde assured Jarange that he would take a concrete decision regarding issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community in the cabinet meeting to be held later in the day, it said. Sinde also informed Jarange that the state government was prepared to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court over the Maratha reservation issue. In May 2021, the Supreme Court had struck down Maharashtra’s Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which granted reservation to the Maratha community, for violating the 50 per cent quota limit.