ST MLAs to meet on November 28 on Dhangar quota issue

Mumbai: With the Dhangar community demanding reservation in the scheduled tribe (ST) instead of the current VJNT category, ST MLAs will meet in Mumbai Wednesday to decide their strategy on this issue.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had assured the Dhangar community that it would grant them reservation in the ST category if voted to power. However, the ST community is opposing the incl-usion of the Dhangars.

“ST reservation is constitutional and our right. So, cutting into it and in-cluding Dhangars won’t be acceptable to us,” said K.C. Padvi, Congress MLA from Nandurbar.

Vaibhav Pichad, NCP MLA from Akole, Ahmednagar, said, “We are meeting to discuss our strategy. Dhangars are getting reservation under the VJNT category. The government should give them more facilities. But including them under STs will not be acceptable.”

Sources said that the MLAs will meet on Wednesday and their delegation will meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis the next day.