Minister Desai warns against haste in Maratha quota decision; Congress MP seeks durable solution | Kolhapur News

Minister Desai warns against haste in Maratha quota decision; Congress MP seeks durable solution

Kolhapur: State minister Shambhuraj Desai on Monday appealed to the Maratha community for patience. He said a rushed decision on the two pending demands of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange could face legal hurdles and derail the reservation process altogether. Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, meanwhile, urged govt to fulfil the community’s demands in a manner that can withstand judicial scrutiny.Desai, a member of the ministerial sub-committee on Maratha reservation, said 12 of Jarange’s 14 demands have already been met, while work on the remaining two is underway.The pending issues include issuing Kunbi caste certificates based on the 58 lakh records identified by govt and implementing the provisions of the Satara and Aundh Gazetteers.“The Hyderabad Gazetteer-based process is already under challenge in court. Govt has ensured there is no stay on it. If we take a hasty decision on the remaining demands and the court stays it, everything will come to a standstill. We have explained this reality to Jarange,” Desai said.He said collectors have been directed to hold special camps for issuing caste certificates linked to the Kunbi records, while work on the Gazetteer-related demands is continuing.Desai also sought to downplay the growing friction between Jarange and Mahayuti govt. “Jarange has some misunderstanding about Eknath Shinde. When I meet him, I will try to clear his doubts. Whatever he is claiming is not the full truth,” he said.The minister noted that Jarange had earlier expressed faith in the state leadership and said govt remained committed to pursuing legal avenues to resolve the issue.In Kolhapur, Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati said govt must honour the assurances given to the Maratha community but ensure that any decision is legally sustainable.“From time to time, govt gave assurances and the agitation was withdrawn on that basis. However, those assurances were not fully implemented and the expected results did not follow,” Shahu Chhatrapati said.The Congress MP said the Maratha community in Kolhapur supports Jarange’s demands and expects govt to move forward with a solution that can stand legal scrutiny.

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