Objections Raised Against Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge’s Caste Certificate; Hearing Tomorrow (6th March) To Decide Verdict For PCMC Corporators

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Social activist Mrunal Dhole-Patil has raised an objection against the ‘Kunbi’ (Other Backward Class - OBC) caste certificate of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Mayor Ravi Landge. Following this, the District Caste Certificate Verification Committee has summoned Mrunal Dhole-Patil for a hearing this Friday (6th March).

According to available details, PCMC Mayor Ravi Landge was elected unopposed from Ward No. 6 (Dhawade Wasti-Sadguru Nagar). He contested the election from a seat reserved for the Other Backward Category (OBC), which was open to both men and women. For the second consecutive time, Landge was elected unopposed.

Social activist Mrunal Dhole-Patil is based in Pune. She has filed a formal complaint with the District Caste Certificate Verification Committee challenging the validity of the mayor's certificate.

In addition to Mayor Ravi Landge, Mrunal Dhole-Patil has also challenged the caste certificates of several other corporators elected from OBC-reserved seats. This includes six elected corporators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two corporators from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and one corporator of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Speaking to the media, social activist Mrunal Dhole-Patil said, “70 to 75% of OBC reservations have been usurped by the Maratha community. Because the state government supports such individuals, injustice is being meted out to the OBC community. The District Caste Certificate Verification Committee must conduct the hearing properly. I will fight firmly for the rights of the OBC community.”

Mayor Ravi Landge clarified, “My caste certificate mentions 'Hindu-Kunbi'. I have all the necessary evidence to support this. Therefore, there is no issue at all.”

Broader Context

The dispute over caste certificates in Maharashtra is closely linked to the wider debate around OBC reservations and the relationship between the Maratha and Kunbi communities. The Kunbi community is traditionally classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and is eligible for reservation benefits in education, government jobs, and political representation.

However, the social and historical boundaries between Marathas and Kunbis have often overlapped. Some historical records describe them as part of a broader “Maratha-Kunbi” agrarian grouping. This overlap has led to recurring controversies, especially when individuals claim Kunbi status to contest elections from OBC-reserved seats or to access reservation benefits.

In recent years, the issue intensified due to the Maratha reservation movement led by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil. Demands were made that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis if historical records prove such ancestry. The Maharashtra government has allowed eligible Marathas to apply for Kunbi certificates based on historical documents. This is a move that has triggered protests from some OBC groups who fear dilution of their quota.

As a result, caste certificate verification and legal challenges have become increasingly common in electoral politics across the state.