NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra government on Friday issued a GR (government resolution) extending the deadline for the Sandeep Shinde-appointed committee to find the Nizam-era documents to prove Maratha as Kunbi till December 24, a key element for determining beneficiaries for a quota in educational and
government jobs.
After a protest by the community for terming Marathas as Kunbi and giving them Other Backward Class reservations, the state government on September 7 formed a committee, helmed by retired Justice Sandeep Shinde, to collect the Nizam-era documents to verify the Maratha quota leaders’ claims.
Quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil claims that all Marathas were earlier Kunbi and that there are relevant historical references. He argues that since all Marathas are Kunbi, so they deserve the OBC status, enabling them a share in government reservation.
The government has asked the committee to study all old documents, family genealogy, educational and revenue documents, Nizam-era agreements and documents of the Marathwada region. The Marathwada region of Maharashtra was ruled by the Nizam and it was part of Hyderabad state in post- and pre-Independence India. Therefore, most references are supposed to be found in Hyderabad.
The Shinde committee has had nine meetings and it has started checking pre-Independence and pre-1967 documents, revenue records, police, birth and death certificates, educational documents and other references to find out whether Marathas were referred to as a Kunbi in these documents.
The committee said most such records are either in Urdu or Farsi language, necessitating studies by language and translation experts. The committee has also decided to visit all districts of Marathwada region to collect the records.
“Besides, most of the documents are in a poor state. The collected documents’ legality also needs to be checked. The eight districts were also asked to submit their separate reports. One consolidated report will be filed and submitted to the state government,” stated the government order.
Meanwhile, activist Manoj Jarange, whose indefinite fast over the Maratha quota issue entered the third day on Friday, said the Maharashtra government can convene a special one-day session of the state legislature to grant reservation to the community.
Gigantic task for committee
Marathas are said to belong to the Kunbi community, enabling them OBC quota
The Nizam-era papers have faded and are written in Persian or Urdu
A govt-appointed panel has to find out Nizam-era documents to prove Marathas as Kunbi
The Marathwada region of Maharashtra was ruled by the Nizam and it was part of Hyderabad state