Dhangar community withdraws protest at Azad Maidan, to wait for HC hearing

On Monday, the Bombay High court ordered to hold the hearing on January 28.

Borhade along with his supporters had come from Marathwada’s Jalna district demanding ST status to Dhangar community. A Dhangar leader from Marathwada, Borhade had held a fast in the last week of December raising this demand. He had then announced the next step of the agitation in Mumbai on January 21.

Around 2,000 people from the Dhangar community had gathered at Azad Maidan. The Mumbai police had deployed more than 600 police personnel along with 60 officials to control the crowd.

The protest was carried out without permission, following which the Azad Maidan police registered a case against Borhade and others who were involved for organising the protest under section 223 of the BNS along with relevant section of Mumbai police act, said police inspector Dyaneshwar Avhad of the Azad Maidan police station.

People from Marathwada and Vidarbha region had reached Mumbai, with most of them coming by train while some of them came in vehicles. The protest was carried out between 12.30 pm to 5pm at Azad Maidan, said a police officer.

Dhangar community has been demanding ST status for a long time. In 2014, the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised that ST status will be given to the Dhangar community in the first cabinet meeting after coming to power.

Borhade said that he will now be taken to the hospital and may be arrested by the police. “No matter what they do to me. I will give a legal fight. I will not back down. I will visit every village in coming days and we will come back with bigger number in coming days,” he said.