Maha govt’s assurance to implement Hyderabad, Satara Gazettes to pave way for Marathas getting Kunbi certificates

Mumbai, Sep 2 The Cabinet subcommittee's move to accept the demand by pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to release the Government Resolution (GR) within an hour for the implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette, is important as it will pave the way for the Maratha community getting Kunbi certificates, especially from the Marathwada region.

The implementation of the Satara Gazette will pave the way for Marathas getting Kunbi certificates from western Maharashtra.

Based on the records in these gazettes, Marathas will get Kunbi certificates after the Maharashtra government invites suggestions and objections on the implementation of the Hyderabad and Satara Gazettes.

“Hyderabad Gazette is an order/gazette issued by the then Hyderabad Nizamshahi government in 1918. At that time, the Maratha community was in the majority in Hyderabad state and it was noted that they were being neglected in power and jobs. Therefore, the Nizam's government issued an order giving reservation (some reservation) in educational and job opportunities to the Maratha community under the name 'Hindu Maratha,'” said government sources.

Further, sources said that the Hyderabad Gazette deals with Marathwada, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Karnataka. It is often mentioned for Maratha-Kunbi records in the context of Maratha reservation.

As far as Jarange-Patil’s demand for the issuance of government resolution on the implementation of the Satara Gazette is concerned, the Cabinet subcommittee promised to release it within a month.

“Satara Gazette is an official document publishing government notifications, rules, orders and information related to Satara district. It records information on land transactions, government schemes, election notifications, and other legal matters in Satara district. The Gazette is the official gazette of the government, which is used for administrative and legal matters of the district at the local level.

"Some Maratha community members in Satara district may have records as Kunbi in the Satara Gazette, which is used as evidence for reservation. However, the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court have considered Marathas and Kunbi as two separate castes and have refused to issue Kunbi certificates outright,” said government sources.

However, government sources admitted that there is a difference between the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes.

“The Satara Gazette is published for local administrative and legal matters of Satara district. The Satara Gazette contains records related to Satara district. The Hyderabad Gazette is an ordinance of the Nizam period (1918), and deals with Marathwada, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Karnataka. It is often mentioned for Maratha-Kunbi records in the context of Maratha reservation,” sources said.

According to government sources, the Hyderabad Gazette cannot be implemented as it is because it only contains figures (population) and there is no clarity in it.

There is talk at the government level that it cannot be implemented as it is.

Cabinet subcommittee Chairman and Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has assured that three member committees will be set up at the taluka level for the implementation of the Hyderabad and Satara Gazettes.

He said that the process will began on the issuance of Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community with the release of the government resolution on implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette.

However, the OBC organisations are expected to step up their protests citing that the issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas will reduce their share of benefits which they are entitled under the OBC quota.

NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal-led Samata Parishad and other OBC organisations are expected to hold legal scrutiny of government resolutions on the implementation of Hyderabad and Satara Gazettes to take future course of action.

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