Will follow constitutional procedures on Dhangar quota demand, says Maharashtra govt

Shinde added that till then all facilities extended to tribals will also be given to Dhangars. The government, however, clarified that all constitutional procedures were to be followed in the inclusion of Dhangars into the ST category. “While we are affirmative on their demands, we won’t let injustice happen to any other community,” said Shinde.

In the past, Maharashtra witnessed massive agitations led by Dhangar leaders, including Prakash Shendge, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha president Mahadeo Jankar and Gopichand Padalkar.

BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar, a prominent Dhangar leader, has led agitations over the issue and sought government intervention in the community’s demand for ST status. Based on his letter, the meeting was organised on Thursday.

At present, the Dhangars get reservations under the Vimukta Jati and nomadic tribe category C in Maharashtra, where the total reservation is 52 per cent. Of this, Scheduled Castes get 13 per cent, Scheduled Tribes 7 per cent, Other Backward Classes 19 per cent, Special Backward Classes 2 per cent, Vimukta Jatis 3 per cent, nomadic tribe B (2.5 per cent, nomadic tribe C (Dhangar) 3.5 per cent, and nomadic tribe D (Vanjari) 2 per cent.

The Dhangars claim they should be given Scheduled Tribe status in Maharashtra because in other states Dhangars are part of the ST list. Community leaders have claimed it is because of a typographical error they have been denied the ST status.

However, tribal leaders and legislators across party lines have come together to oppose the inclusion of Dhangars in the ST category. They have said the ST reservation is just 7 per cent, while Dhangars already have a 3.5 per cent quota. If Dhangars are counted as STs, they will corner the 3.5 per cent of the quota, the tribal leaders have said.

In addition, tribal activists and leaders maintain that Dhangars do not qualify to be STs in the state on any criterion.

Dhangars form around 9 per cent of Maharashtra’s population and are said to have a considerable impact on over 30-35 Assembly seats, mostly in Western Maharashtra and Marathwada.

Tribal voters are equally significant in the state. Out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, four are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and out of the 288 Assembly seats, 25 are for them. None of the political parties can afford to harm the interests of either side.

In 2014, when he was Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis had declared that his government would resolve the Dhangar reservation issue and appointed the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to prepare a report on the issue in November that year.
However, the report is yet to be made public despite the Bombay High Court seeking a response from the state government. The matter is presently pending in the court where arguments are ongoing.