As the longstanding controversy surrounding Maratha reservations remains unresolved, another community in Maharashtra, the Dhangar community, is poised to escalate its agitation for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, a demand they have voiced for many decades. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has scheduled a meeting to address the concerns raised by Dhangar community leaders.
Shinde announced that his government would thoroughly examine the strategies employed by other states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh, in addressing the demands for reservation by the Dhangar community. This statement followed a meeting between the Chief Minister and a delegation representing the Dhangar community.
Shinde emphasized, “A committee comprising state officials and Dhangar community representatives will scrutinize the implementation of reservation in these states. Within a month, a comprehensive report will be prepared and subsequently submitted to the attorney general for a legal opinion.”
Affirming his government’s commitment to addressing the Dhangar community’s quota demands, the Chief Minister noted that a proposal had been made to establish a committee led by a retired justice to delve into the matter, with a decision on this matter pending. Shinde also assured that police cases against Dhangar protestors would be withdrawn, underscoring his commitment to ensuring that no injustice is meted out to other communities. Until a decision on quota allocation is reached, the benefits extended to Adivasis will also be made available to the Dhangar community.
In an effort to resolve the ongoing quota-related issues, Shinde called upon protestors in various parts of the state to suspend their agitation. Over the years, Maharashtra has witnessed significant protests led by prominent Dhangar figures, including Prakash Shendge, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha president Mahadeo Jankar, and BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar, who claims to be a prominent Dhangar leader and has spearheaded protests advocating for ST status. At present, Dhangars in Maharashtra receive reservations under the Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribe category C, in a state where the overall reservation stands at 52 percent. Of this, Scheduled Castes receive 13 percent, Scheduled Tribes 7 percent, Other Backward Classes 19 percent, Special Backward Classes 2 percent, Vimukta Jatis 3 percent, Nomadic Tribe B (2.5 percent), Nomadic Tribe C (Dhangar) 3.5 percent, and Nomadic Tribe D (Vanjari) 2 percent.