Konkan Maratha Leaders Clarify: “We Are Not Kunabis, and Our Mother Tongue Is Konkani”
By The News Observer Desk
Karwar: Leaders of the Konkan Maratha community in Uttara Kannada district have clarified that they belong to the Hindu Konkan Maratha community and that their mother tongue is Konkani, not Marathi. Rejecting recent claims made by a few individuals, the leaders emphasized that their community does not belong to the Kunabi sub-sect.
Speaking to the media at Patrika Bhavan, Karwar, on Wednesday, office bearers of the Konkan Maratha Mandal, Sadashivagad, expressed concern over what they termed “misleading statements” made by certain individuals during a press conference held on September 19. According to the leaders, those individuals had wrongly urged the community to record their caste as Kunabi and language as Marathi in the ongoing Social, Educational, and Economic Survey conducted by the Government of Karnataka.
“These persons made such statements without consulting the apex body of our community,” the leaders said, calling the move “mischievous and misleading.”
The Mandal had convened a general meeting on October 5, 2025, at Sadashivagad to discuss the survey. The meeting was attended by community elders, members, and social representatives. After detailed deliberations, the gathering unanimously resolved that members should identify themselves in the survey as:
- Religion: Hindu
- Caste: Konkan Maratha (Code No. 0727)
- Mother Tongue: Konkani
A formal appeal was made to ensure all members uniformly follow this identification across the district.
During the meeting, members also sought clarification from the Mandal’s President Gajanan Rane regarding his appearance at the earlier press conference. Rane explained that he had been invited to the event but was not informed of its full agenda. “I have always maintained that we are Hindu Konkan Marathas and our mother tongue is Konkani,” he said.
Rane added that a language barrier and a busy schedule—including travel to Mumbai the same day—had prevented him from consulting other committee members. “I regret the confusion caused to our community. Those who invited me have also apologized for not giving complete details,” he stated.
He further announced that the Mandal would consider legal action against individuals who had tried to misrepresent facts and tarnish his image.
The Konkan Maratha Mandal urged the print and electronic media to help spread this clarification widely to prevent further misunderstanding within the community.
Gajanan Rane President of Konkana Maratha Mandal, Surendra Gaonkar, Vice President, Uday Rane Secretary, Sudheer Pawar, Girish Desai and Rajesh Naik were present on the dais.
