Opposition: What is status of Dhangar quota?

Nagpur: On the last day of the Winter Session on Friday, the state Legislative Council was rocked by the opposition demand for Dhangar reservation. The government said that it was positive about the demand and is awaiting a report from Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS).

“The government is positive about the reservation but TISS is doing an anthropological research and analysis of the demand. The investigation is in its last stage,” said Mr Vishnu Savara, the tribal affairs minister. But the opposition was not satisfied with the reply and rushed to protest, which resulted in the house being adjourned once. “The minister is not giving a firm answer on Dhangar reservation. Those who had promised to clear the reservation in the first cabinet have betrayed the community,” slammed opposition leader, Mr Dhananjay Munde.

The Opposition has now proposed a debate on the issue and MLC Ramrao Vadkute began by demanding to know the current status of this reservation. “We have been listening from day one of this government, that reservation for Dhangar community is under consideration but nothing has been done in last three years. Either the government is not serious, or it is confused on the subject.” MLC Kapil Patil also demanded the details of the TISS.

In his reply Mr Savara said, “TISS has planned its research in three stages and the first two are completed. In the first, TISS members went to all 36 districts of the state and met almost 20,000 people from the Sangat community to find about their financial and social status.” The minister also said that TISS members have already began research on their cultural traditions, deities and festivals in every part of the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Vijay Girkar spoke of the difference between Dhankad and Dhangar. “In 2003, it was wrongly put in that these both communities are different but it should be corrected,” he demanded.