The final draft of the ordinance by the Maharashtra government considering the demand for allocation of quotas for jobs and education for the Maratha caste members belonging to the agrarian Kunbi community, will be issued soon.
This comes after a delegation of the state government held talks with Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been demanding caste certificates for people belonging to the Kunbi community.
So far, 54 lakh records showing members of the Maratha caste belonging to the agrarian Kunbi community have been found, and all these persons (or their descendants) should be given Kunbi certificates immediately, Jarange said.
Jarange threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai from January 20 if his demands were not met.
Members of the government’s delegation, MLA Bacchu Kadu and Mangesh Chivate, an officer on special duty of the Chief Minister, said that the Kunbi certificates will be issued to people who have married into the same caste. However, people from the Kunbi caste who married a different caste won’t be able to get the certificates, Kadu said.
Also, certificates will be issued based on the proof of bloodline and relations with family members, including paternal uncle and aunts, Kadu said.
Jarange has also suggested that people who include the word ‘all’ close relatives in the last five generations of descendants should be eligible to apply for the Kunbi caste certificates in the final draft of the ordinance.
Social justice and general administration departments of the state government are working in consensus with retired justice Shinde committee to formulate a final draft of the ordinance to be issued soon, said sources.