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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Maratha quota stir poised for revival

Manoj Jarange issues August ultimatum as CM cites record certificate distribution Mumbai: Maharashtra is bracing for renewed political turbulence as the Maratha quota agitation threatens to engulf the state once again. Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil has sounded a clarion call for a final, decisive protest beginning August 29, marking the third anniversary of the community’s relentless struggle. In stark contrast, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stepped in to defuse the escalating...

Maratha quota stir poised for revival

Manoj Jarange issues August ultimatum as CM cites record certificate distribution Mumbai: Maharashtra is bracing for renewed political turbulence as the Maratha quota agitation threatens to engulf the state once again. Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil has sounded a clarion call for a final, decisive protest beginning August 29, marking the third anniversary of the community’s relentless struggle. In stark contrast, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stepped in to defuse the escalating tensions, asserting that the government remains highly responsive to the community’s demands and that the pendency of caste certificates is virtually negligible. Addressing a massive press conference at Antarwali Sarati in the Jalna district of Marathwada, Jarange Patil expressed deep frustration with the state administration. He accused the government of deliberately deceiving the Maratha community and employing delaying tactics. According to the activist, the state has discovered approximately 58 lakh Kunbi caste records, yet the administration continues to withhold vital Kunbi certificates from eligible Maratha community members. Issuing a stern ultimatum, he demanded that caste certificates based on the Hyderabad gazette be issued to all rightful beneficiaries by August 28. Failing this, he warned, a massive mobilization will commence from every village across the state starting August 19. He passionately stated that the community has been sacrificing its blood for the youth for three years and will not back down until the issue reaches a logical conclusion. Robust Defence Countering these allegations, CM Fadnavis presented a robust defence of the Mahayuti government’s track record while speaking to the media in Nagpur. He emphasised that caste certificates are processed and issued promptly upon request. He firmly stated that everyone who has applied for a caste certificate has received it, adding that the number of pending cases is exceedingly low. Fadnavis dismissed the notion that certificates are being arbitrarily denied, reinforcing that the current administration has made and executed more pro-Maratha decisions than any previous government. He maintained a conciliatory tone, noting that the administration remains open to dialogue and is willing to find constructive solutions if any genuine grievances persist. Progress Report The state government’s claims are corroborated by the latest progress report from the Justice Sandeep Shinde committee, which was established to oversee the distribution of Maratha-Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha, and Kunbi certificates. As of July 27, 2026, the data from the Divisional Commissionerate in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar paints a picture of swift administrative action in Marathwada. Out of a total of 311,609 applications received, a staggering 311,033 applicants have been successfully issued Kunbi certificates. Only 515 applications faced rejection, while a mere 61 remain pending across the division. Furthermore, officials noted that 72,012 certificates have been distributed in the region from September 2025 to the present date. A district-wise analysis of the Marathwada region highlights this extensive distribution network. In Beed district, the administration achieved a near-perfect clearance rate, distributing 206,789 certificates against 206,799 applications, with zero pending files currently. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar saw 25,211 certificates issued from 25,295 applications, leaving only 15 pending. Similarly, Jalna district processed 18,128 applications to distribute 18,053 certificates, with just 13 awaiting approval. Parbhani and Hingoli districts reported the distribution of 20,832 and 13,286 certificates, respectively, with negligible pendency. Nanded district cleared all its 4,841 applications with no backlog, while Latur and Dharashiv districts successfully distributed 2,751 and 19,281 certificates, respectively. Demands’ Charter Despite these administrative milestones, Jarange Patil has expanded his charter of demands, intensifying his critique of the state’s welfare mechanisms. He has now called for the creation of a dedicated Maratha welfare department, questioning why the Maratha community cannot have a separate ministry similar to the one existing for OBCs. He alleged that nine ministers in the current coalition are actively opposing this proposal, threatening to expose their names during the mega rally on August 29. Furthermore, he lashed out at the government over the systemic failure in implementing existing welfare schemes. He claimed that despite official resolutions granting Maratha students parity with OBC students, educational institutions are not enforcing these benefits at the school and college levels. He also accused the state of shutting down initiatives under the Sarathi institute and noted that flawed loan processes under the Annasaheb Patil Corporation are turning into bad debts, effectively ruining the CIBIL scores of young entrepreneurs. Capping off his grievances, Jarange Patil alleged a discriminatory bias in government recruitment, questioning the state administration over what he termed an “apartheid” against Maratha candidates.

Sixteen SITs; none fruitful

The Maharashtra government’s announcements of SITs look like a farce

Special Investigation Teams

Mumbai: The Mahayuti government in the state, since its inception three years ago, has formed at least a dozen of Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to investigate several serious issues. But, one realises that hardly any of the SITs have served the purpose of their formation unless and until ‘killing time’ is one of the undeclared tasks entrusted to them.


The state government announced formation of the SIT in murder case of the Massajog Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district on January 2, almost a month after the incident took place. However, within a fortnight of formation of the SIT, the state government had to reconstitute it by removing nine cops from the Beed district and appointing six new cops from the state CID, to maintain impartiality of the probe agency. While this act exposes the callousness on the part of the state government in forming the SIT, the only credit to the agency so far is surrender of the prime accused in the case Valmik Karad.


In August 2024, the state government had formed three SITs. The first one was on August 20 to probe the sexual attack case in a school on Badlapur. The incident had happened on 12-13 August and the opposition had threatened with state-wide protests on August 24. On this backdrop, the SIT was announced on the day when the local protests escalated badly affecting the railway traffic on the route. Incidentally, the accused was arrested even before the SIT was formed and charge sheet was filed on September 22. However, the main accused Akshay Shinde was killed in a police encounter the next day, while the SIT report submitted to the court on December 17 recommended action against a senior police official for dereliction of duty, giving a general sense that the case is being hushed up by the authorities.


Another SIT formed in August 2024 was on August 27, to investigate the reasons that led to collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue at Malvan in Sindhudurg district on August 26. Though the accused were apprehended and case has been filed, the SIT was reconstituted on September 19 expanding its scope of investigation. However, nothing tangible seems to have come out of the probe.


Incidentally, on the same day in the neighbouring district of Ratnagiri, a 19-year-old nursing student was raped by an auto-rickshaw driver and an SIT was formed to probe the incident. It is being said that the SIT was formed just to manage the public opinion which was already fierce in those days due to the rape and murder of a woman doctor at the R G Kar institute of Kolkata.


Despite the numerous SITs announced, and the assignment of senior officers to oversee them, their outcomes remain elusive. This has provided the opposition with ample fodder to accuse the government of using SITs as a mere smokescreen, a tactic to temporarily appease critics and defuse tensions. Once public outrage subsides, neither the opposition nor the media seems inclined to follow up on the progress of these investigations.


SITs formed by the Mahayuti government over past three years

Date of SIT Announced by Task entrusted

11 Feb 2023 – CM - Ratnagiri Journalist Shahsikant Varpe Murder Case

16 May 2023 – DCM - Trayambakeshwar temple incident

19 June 2023 – CM - BMC Contracts worth Rs 12,000 crore

12 Dec 2023 – CM - Disha Salian Murder Case

15 Dec 2023 – DCM - Mahadev App Case

17 Dec 2023 – CM - Woman assaulted by IAS officer's son

03 Feb 2024 – DCM - Ulhasnagar BJP MLA shooting

27 Feb 2024 – Vidhan Sabha Speaker - Jarange Patil's Remarks

28 Feb 2024 – CM - Maratha Quota Stir Caning

21 May 2024 – DCM - Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case

20 Aug 2024 – DCM - Badlapur school sexual attack case

27 Aug 2024 – DCM - Ratnagiri Nursing Student Rape Case

27 Aug 2024 – CM - Sindhudurg Shivaji Statue Collapse

2 Jan 2025 – CM - Probe Massajog Sarpanch abduction and murder

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