24 August,2026 06:13 PM IST | Jalna (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondent
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange questioned how many valid Kunbi records had actually been identified from the total number examined. File Pic
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday remained firm on his decision to begin an indefinite hunger strike on August 29 at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district, demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, reported the PTI.
A delegation of Maharashtra ministers met Jarange and urged him to call off the proposed agitation, but he set August 28 as the deadline for the government to act on his demands.The delegation, comprising ministers Shambhuraj Desai, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant, met Jarange at Antarwali Sarati in the presence of members of the Maratha community and the media, the news agency reported.
Jarange demanded that the pending process of issuing Kunbi certificates and validity documents to eligible Maratha applicants be completed by August 28.
He also demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against people who took part in the Maratha reservation agitation.
According to the PTI, Manoj Jarange maintained that the Maratha community was seeking reservation within the legal framework and on the basis of historical records dating back to 1967.
He said Marathas whose historical records establish their Kunbi identity should be issued Kunbi certificates, which would enable eligible members of the community to claim reservation benefits under the OBC category.
"We want to know clearly whether the government is going to give reservation to the Maratha community or not," Jarange told the government representatives, as per the PTI.
He also clarified that the Maratha community was not opposed to other backward communities and was seeking reservation only on the basis of documentary evidence establishing Kunbi identity.
Minister Uday Samant said around 58 lakh records had been examined as part of the process, with several relevant entries identified. However, some records were still awaiting uploading, he said.
Jarange questioned how many valid Kunbi records had actually been identified from the total number examined.
The government delegation also facilitated discussions between Jarange and members of the Shinde Committee over the certificate process.
Jarange alleged that ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Sanjay Shirsat were creating hurdles in the process of granting reservation-related benefits to the Maratha community.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleging that eligible applicants were facing difficulties in obtaining Kunbi certificates and validity documents, according to the PTI.
The ministers rejected the allegation and assured Jarange that neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister was obstructing the issuance of certificates or validity documents.
Jarange, however, alleged that some officials were cancelling the validity of certificates and demanded that such cases be resolved immediately.
Jarange said the proposed agitation would go ahead on August 29 unless the government's assurances were converted into concrete action by August 28.
The latest meeting comes amid continued efforts by the Maharashtra government to address the Maratha community's demands over Kunbi certificates and OBC reservation.
(with PTI inputs)
