Mumbai, Sep 16 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal on Monday questioned the need to include the Dhangar community, classified as Nomadic Tribes, in the Scheduled Tribe category, a day after the government announced a panel to resolve the issue.
Dhangars, a shepherd community from western Maharashtra and the Marathwada region, have been demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. The community claims it has been deprived of the quota as the Centre’s database has no mention of ‘Dhangar’ but instead identifies ‘Dhangad’ as part of STs.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde chaired a meeting with representatives of the community on Sunday, following which the government announced that it would form a panel comprising three IAS officers to establish that ‘Dhangar’ and ‘Dhangad’ are different names of the same community.
Talking to reporters, Zirwal, a leader of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, said, “There is no opposition to Dhangars getting benefits of reservations. But why include them in the ST category? We should have been invited to the meeting held on Sunday. We would have presented our side. The government can give them separate benefits, but there is no need to include them in our group.” Ministers and senior leaders of the Scheduled Tribes community should have been invited to the meeting, he said.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Dhangar community said, “There is a small percentage of reservation for the NT group, and the Dhangar community is spread across the states and has a significant presence in Maharashtra. The inclusion of Dhangars in the ST category will benefit more students and job aspirants.” State minister Shambhuraj Desai on Sunday announced that the state government would form a panel comprising three IAS officers and five representatives from the Dhangar community.
The panel will study the existing data and prepare a draft note, which will be sent to the Advocate General (the state’s topmost legal official) to ensure that there are no legal hurdles in the future before passing an order declaring ‘Dhangar’ and ‘Dhangad’ as the same community, said Desai, a leader of the Shiv Sena. PTI ND ARU
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