NAGPUR: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the Dhangar community on Sunday that a proposal to provide reservation to them will be prepared within 15 days, after consulting the advocate general of the state. He was addressing a convention of the community organized by Padmashree Dr Vikas Mahatme at Sneh Nagar.
The community passed a resolution demanding that the name of Ahmednagar be changed to Ahilyanagar and Solapur University should be renamed as Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University. Fadnavis said there are certain guidelines of the high court on renaming and the decision will have to be taken keeping them in mind.
The BJP had promised to provide reservation to the community in its election manifesto. It had struck an alliance with Dhangar leader Mahadeo Jankar for both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Interestingly, while it is promising reservation to Dhangars, the reservation for Marathas and Muslims has been struck down by the Mumbai HC.
Fadnavis said as reservation for Marathas had been struck down, the bill for providing reservation to any other community will have to be drafted with great care or else it would meet the same fate. He urged the community leaders to form a committee of seven to eight people to help the government draft the bill.
Dr Sunita Mahatme showed a slide show of BJP's efforts in fighting for securing reservation for the community. It showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring reservation for the community in his speech at Solapur. Fadnavis had been trying to make Congress-NCP government give reservations to Dhangars. He had persuaded the Dhangar leaders to end their indefinite hunger strike at Baramati.
Fadnavis also promised to increase the funds for Goats and Sheep Development Corporation and increase the quantity of fodder reserved for sheep.
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari could not attend the convention because of some pressing engagements. He lent his support to Dhangar reservation through a letter, which was read out there.
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ReplyDeleteWhen the Maratha and Muslim reservation issue has already become a thorn in the Maharashtra government’s side, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced that the Dhangar community (shepherd) of the state would also get reservation benefits as assured by the BJP in the run-up to the polls. The chief minister said a joint meeting would be called with the advocate general and senior Dhangar leaders to find a way to do so. Mr Fadnavis said, “The government will not go back on its promise given to the Dhangar community. The community should get reservation benefits. It is their right.” Dhangars of Maharashtra are currently getting 3.5 per cent reservation as a sub-category of Nomadic Tribes(C). Claiming to be tribals (scheduled tribes), they have been demanding that they be included in the ST category, which is enjoying seven per cent reservation benefits in the state. BJP leaders along with Mr Fadnavis had assured the community that their demand would be fulfilled before both the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections. On the other hand, the various tribes of the state are strongly opposing the demand in the fear that they will lose their quota. They are of the opinion that 48 communities of tribals have benefited with reservation facilities and inclusion of the Dhangars would hamper their prospects. Taking cognisance of this, the chief minister also assured the tribals (ST) that their reservation would not be reduced. “Some leaders are trying to create social unrest by making false claims that the ST quota would be reduced and be passed on to the Dhangars. The quota of STs will not be cut down,” Mr Fadnavis said. Dhangars have a strong presence in western Maharashtra, which is the bastion of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. In order to rout the NCP from its stronghold, the support of the Dhangar community is a must.
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