Dhangar proposal to be sent before ls polls: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday during the question hour in the Legislative Council said that the state government will complete all the constitutional provisions for the reservation to Dhangar community before declaration of the code of conduct for Lok Sabha election. He also said that the help of Opposition will be taken while sending the proposal for the Dhangar reservation to the Central government.

Mr Fadnavis was replying to queries raised over reservation to Dhangar community by Congress legislator Sharad Ranpise among others. Dhangar (shepherd) community has been pressing for reservation under the Scheduled Tribes (ST).

The CM said that Tata Institute of Social Sciences has found that the Dhangar is backward than ST in some parts of the state. Taking this as a queue, we will forward the proposal to the Centre.

Dhangar community is being given reservation under NT (nomadic tribes) category. However, they want reservation under ST category. Mr Fadnavis said, “The TISS report says situation of Dhangars is worse than that of STs in some areas.”

We needed a report from an expert institute thus we chose Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). They went to five states and prepared a comprehensive report. The report says situation of Dhangars is worse than that of STs in some areas.”

He said that the state government had received the report of TISS over the Dhangar community. The report is being studied by the government. The recommendations of the report will be sent to the Centre.

He also said that there is difference between Maratha reservation and Dhangar reservation. The Act is made to provide Maratha reservation, while on the other-hand,  Dhangar reservation will be falls under the centre's jurisdiction as it pertains to SC/ST. The State government can make only recommendations on it to the centre. To make the recommendations, there are certain things need to be done which the state is doing it. The sub-committee of the cabinet is also looking into it. The state government will make the recommendations to the centre.

Mr. Fadnavis reiterated that the existing quota (of Adivasi) would not be touched for providing the reservation to Dhangar community. The government is committed to provide the reservation to them. He also added the government will table the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the TISS report in the next session.  

Chief minister said that Tribal Research Training Institute (TRTI) had already sent a proposal to the Centre in 2014, which was rejected. He added that reports mentioned that the population of Dhangars is 1.11 lakh, however, such reports have no base as no caste certificate is asked to include them in the community.