Quota for Dhangars: Ramraje Nimbalkar seeks information from government

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Legislative Council witnessed a heated debate today over the government's failure to send a proposal to the Centre for giving reservation to the Dhangar community, with the chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar seeking to know the steps it planned to take to resolve the issue.

Mahadev Jankar, who belongs to Dhangar community and whose Rashtriya Samaj Paksha is an ally of ruling BJP, said the government's stand on the issue seemed to be vague, and he would leave the alliance the day he found that the government was unwilling to give reservation.

Speaking on the issue during the question hour, leader of opposition in the Council Dhananjay Munde pointed out that in the winter session the BJP-led government had said the community cannot get reservation. "Time and again they have said the same thing on news channels. The only intention seems to be that the government does not intend to provide reservation to the community," he said.

In response, Tribal Development minister Vishnu Savara explained the technicalities involved in sending a proposal to the Union Government, and said the state was waiting for a report from the 'Adivasi Sanshodhan-Prashikshan Sanstha' (tribal research and training institute) before sending the proposal. "The issue should not be politicised," he said.

However, NCP's Sunil Tatkare said the issue became political when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, during the Assembly poll campaign last year, said in Baramati that the decision to grant reservation to the community would be taken in the very first cabinet meeting of the new government (if BJP come to power).