Hundreds of members from Other Backward Class (OBC) communities held a protest rally in Maharashtra`s Nagpur on Friday, opposing Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas, reported the PTI.
The protesters demanded that the Maharashtra government immediately cancel the September 2 government resolution (GR) that allows eligible Marathas to obtain Kunbi caste certificates, enabling them to claim OBC reservation benefits.
A protest rally was also organised in Nagpur under the banner of ‘Sakal OBC Maha Morcha’, saw large-scale participation from across the state. Protesters marched from Yeshwant Stadium to Samvidhan Square, shouting slogans and holding placards defending their constitutional right to reservation.
Leaders including Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar, and prominent OBC activists Laxman Hake and Mahadev Jankar joined the rally, which spanned nearly 3 kilometres through the heart of the city.
The protesters raised slogans such as “The Mahayuti government cannot take away our constitutional quota rights” and “Ek Mission: OBC Arakshan”.
The GR, issued in response to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange’s five-day protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, allows members of the Maratha community to apply for Kunbi caste certificates — if they can prove OBC ancestry. Since Kunbis are recognised as an OBC group in Maharashtra, this would grant such Marathas access to reserved quotas in government jobs and education.
While Maratha leaders insist that many Marathas are originally from the Kunbi agrarian community, OBC organisations fear this will reduce their existing share in reservations.
Sakal OBC Sanghatana, the umbrella body behind the protest, warned the state government of intensified protests if the GR is not withdrawn.
Earlier this month, CM Devendra Fadnavis had chaired a meeting with Other Backward Classes (OBC) leaders in Mumbai. A delegation demanded immediate withdrawal of the GR.
OBC strongman Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP), as well as BJP ministers Chandrashekar Bawankule, Pankaja Munde, and Atul Save, were joined by nearly 35 other representatives of the community in the meeting. The delegation members also alleged that forged and over-written documents were being used to obtain certificates. The state has warned of stern legal action and punishment against officials found issuing false caste certificates or applicants using forged documents to obtain the caste certificate.
After the meeting, OBC sub-committee chairman and Maharashtra revenue minister Bawankule said, “The OBC sub-committee will verify such cases and documents before the government takes a call.”
Reacting to the development, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange said that one cannot withdraw the GR in such a manner, merely because a section of community members are pressurising the government to do so.
Senior BJP leader Bawankule had claimed that GR does not ensure “sarsakhat” (across the board) certificates for Maratha community.
“We will ensure that GR is not misused to obtain a caste certificate,” the minister had said.
(with PTI inputs)