Jalna/Mumbai, Sep 6 (PTI) Quota protester Manoj Jarange on Wednesday claimed certain documents recognize Marathas from Marathwada region in Maharashtra as OBCs as per the old lists of the Nizam regime, based on which the government can issue an ordinance granting reservation to the community.

Jarange has been on hunger strike since August 29 for the quota demand.

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“Sufficient documents are available to establish that the Maratha community in Marathwada region was recognized as Kunbis (OBCs) in the past.

"Before Independence, the Marathwada region was part of the regime under Nizam of Hyderabad (currently Telangana state). The old list mentions that Marathas and Kunbis are the same,” Jarange told reporters in Jalna district.

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Reservation in jobs and education provided by the Maharashtra government to the Maratha community in 2018 under Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) was quashed by the Supreme Court in May 2021, citing the 50 per cent ceiling on total reservations among other grounds.

“This would be the first such case in the country where protesters possess all the proof, but the Maharashtra government is not taking a decision based on it. The state should not waste its precious time on the formation of new committees to study the reservation. We are ready to recommend some legal experts so that the state can decide without further delay,” Jarange said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said a committee will submit its report within a month on how to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas from Marathwada region.

According to Jarange, it is stated in the 83rd entry of the old list that Marathas and Kunbis are the same.

"Therefore, the state government should accept these facts and make an appropriate decision regarding reservation for the Maratha community in Marathwada region," he added.

Queried if Other Backward Classes (OBCs) will oppose the inclusion of Marathas, Jarange said they should understand that some people are trying to drive a wedge between the two communities (OBCs and Marathas).

"Marathas are also OBCs and they too deserve the benefits of reservation," he added.

On Tuesday, the talks between the state government and Jarange on the issue failed to find a solution, following which he gave an ultimatum of four days to decide and threatened to stop taking fluids.

He said there was no need for members of the government's committee to travel to Hyderabad to find proof of the Maratha-Kunbi link, as possesses such evidence.

Jarange further said the government can issue an ordinance granting quota to Marathas as the legislature is not in session and could approach the Governor immediately. "The government can take a decision in a day," he added.

He even offered the assistance of experts and legal professionals to aid the government in drafting and issuing the ordinance.

Referring to lathi-charge by police on Maratha protesters at in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on September 1, Jarange claimed some officials incited violence as part of a conspiracy.

"We don't want to prolong this agitation provided the government also wishes the same," he added.

He said police should register a complaint by protesters.

"How can they slap section 353 of IPC on us even though we were holding a protest at one place and didn't go to the police station? They came here. If the government fails to listen, we will take up the issue with the Prime Minister and the President," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)