Hardik Patel to support Dhangar quota stir

Mumbai: Hardik Patel, the young Patidar leader from Gujarat, will support the agitations of the Dhangar community for reservation. Mr Patel will address a rally in Sangli district on October 16. If the Dhangar community starts agitations like the Maratha community and Patel supports them, it will create a problem for the government, said a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections next year, the issue of Dhangar reservation has become more sensitive. As the Mar-atha community has been aggressive about their demand for reservation, the Dhangar community, too, has united to press for their demands. The Chief minister Devendra Fad-navis-led government had assured the Dha-ngar community that it would get the benefit of reservation in the scheduled tribe (ST) category. They are currently in the list of Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT).

But the state government hasn’t taken any decision yet as the study is still underway. After the decision of state government, it will be sent to the Union government for sanction. But the tribals are opposing the inclusion of the Dhangar community in STs. So, the state government is in a dilemma, as either way, the Dhangars or the Tribals will get annoyed with the state government’s decision.