The Dhangar community issue was raised in the House by leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde. Backing his attack with documents, Munde accused the government of misleading the House.
Succumbing to uproar in the Upper House on delay in giving reservations to the Dhangar community, the chairperson on Thursday asked chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to call a meeting for expediting the issue.
The issue got inflamed after minister for tribal development Vishnu Savara conceded in the House that there is no change in his stand — that it is not possible to include the community in the Scheduled Tribe category. Savara's candid reply came to a direct a query by NCP leader Sunil Tatkare on whether his earlier statement given in the House holds true today as well.
Savara was soon ridiculed by Opposition leaders, who created a ruckus on the issue, which led to back-to-back adjournments of the House. The minister, however, later clarified that the "government is committed to give the reservation and is working in the right direction". Savara said the state has roped in Tata Institute of Social Sciences to tackle the complex issue and the detailed report is expected by December 2017.
The Dhangar community issue was raised in the House by leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde. Backing his attack with documents, Munde accused the government of misleading the House.
"You and your government have been lying and misleading the House on the issue. As per records, your government, soon after coming to power, wrote two letters to the Centre — November 1 and 28, 2014 — accepting that the community does not fulfil the criteria needed for inclusion in the ST category. You have also withdrawn all requests sent by various governments since 1981 from the Centre," Munde claimed.
Opposition leaders also cited the example of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has already extended reservation to the said community.
In Maharashtra, the Dhangar community is listed under the Vimukta Jati & Nomadic Tribes. Local Dhangar leaders have been demanding inclusion in the ST category, arguing that the Centre already provides quota benefits to 'Dhangad' community, but 'Dhangars' in Maharashtra are deprived because of the different spellings.
Before the 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the BJP had promised to fulfil the long pending demand of the community. In the first cabinet meeting after Fadnavis took charge of the government a year ago, it was noted that they would require adequate supporting documents.
Under attack in the past, Fadnavis defended his stand saying, "There is no ambiguity on giving reservation to the Dhangar community. But when we went through the process, it was found that cabinet approval alone was not going to take the issue to its logical end."
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