Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, September 3: The indefinite hunger strike by activist Manoj Jarange Patil, demanding Maratha reservation and Kunbi caste certificates, has entered its fifth day. In response, the Maharashtra government has clarified its stance and outlined steps being taken to address the main demands of the movement.
In a joint press conference, Cabinet Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant revealed that the district collector of Jalna personally met with Jarange Patil and presented a draft proposal regarding the issuance of Kunbi certificates.
The administration is now awaiting the activist’s response for further action. The district collector provided Jarange Patil with a pen drive containing records of 5.8 million entries. The ministers announced that special camps will be set up across all administrative regions from September 10 to September 17 to process applications and issue certificates.
Under the Hyderabad Gazette framework, over 3,500 certificates have already been issued, with the district collector overseeing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). A nodal officer will be appointed in each district to supervise the certificate issuance process. A dedicated Maratha cell has been established to streamline administrative requests, having already processed 250,000 applications.
According to the ministers, the government has withdrawn 90% of the police cases filed against Maratha protesters, leaving only 118 cases pending legal resolution. Financial assistance and employment applications have been submitted for families of those who lost their lives during the protests, with 222 applications received. Out of these, 33 individuals have joined government service, while 85 applications are actively being processed. A special camp will be held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to resolve 40 claims under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) employment scheme.
Maratha students are being granted benefits equivalent to those of OBC students. If a student’s Kunbi certificate application is rejected, their educational expenses will be covered under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scheme.
Additionally, the ministers announced that the Sarathi organization has established eight hostels, each with a capacity for 1,000 students, with plans to expand hostel construction to the taluka level. The state has sought advice from the Advocate General regarding the Satara Gazette.
The ministers emphasized the need for legal caution to ensure that the implementation of the Satara Gazette does not affect the status of ongoing court cases related to the Hyderabad Gazette.
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