Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday addressed concerns over the ongoing Maratha reservation agitation, assuring the community that the government is committed to safeguarding their rights and ensuring smooth implementation of benefits.
Speaking on the steps being taken, Shinde said the state has sought a two-month period to review flaws and difficulties in the existing framework and remove them effectively. He highlighted that for the first time, a village-level committee has been constituted to streamline the verification process for issuing ‘Kunbi’ caste certificates.
According to the Deputy CM, this three-member committee will comprise a village revenue officer, a panchayat officer, and an assistant agriculture officer, ensuring decisions are taken at the grassroots level. “Whoever applies for a Kunbi certificate—whether based on relatives or ancestral records—will have their application scrutinized at the village level itself. This will directly benefit the Maratha community,” he explained.
Shinde also stressed that all government resolutions (GRs) related to the reservation issue have been issued strictly within the ambit of law. “If anyone challenges these decisions, the government will fully defend them in court. We are determined to protect the rights of the Maratha community while ensuring that no other community suffers due to these measures,” he affirmed.
The assurance comes amid growing protests across the state demanding concrete steps on the Maratha reservation issue, with the government under increasing pressure to deliver a legally sustainable solution.
