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In Maharashtra, protests have erupted over the recruitment of tribal youths and the reservation benefits for the Dhangar community.
The Dhangar community, currently classified under the Nomadic Tribes category, is demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category, which would double their reservation quota from 3.5% to 7%.
Amidst the ongoing agitation, six members have been on a hunger strike since September 9.

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The legislators threatened to stage a sit-in protest

Video: Maharashtra deputy speaker jumps from 3rd floor of Mantralaya 

By Chanshimla Varah

Oct 04, 2024

03:26 pm

What's the story

Several tribal MLAs, led by Maharashtra assembly deputy speaker Narhari Jhirwal, staged a protest at the Maharashtra Mantralaya on Friday. The legislators jumped from the third floor onto a second-floor safety net in the Mantralaya quadrangle, threatening to stage a sit-in protest. They were protesting the Dhangar community's inclusion in the tribal quota and demanding a meeting with chief minister Eknath Shinde to address their long-standing issues.

Twitter Post

Video from Mantralaya 

Maharashtra Bjp Narendra Modi's alliance partner NCP Ajit Pawar faction MLA Narhari Zirwal(Dpty speaker) jumped from the third floor of the Mantralaya building after landing on the safety net. The incident took place during a protest led by tribal legislators against the… pic.twitter.com/RUGotd8FSO

— Pritesh Shah (@priteshshah_) October 4, 2024

Protest details

Police intervention and protesters' demands

They were also demanding the removal of a stay on recruitment of tribal youths under the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act. A police contingent, including additional commissioner of police (South) Abhinav Deshmukh, deputy commissioner of police Zone 1 Pravin Mundhe and deputy commissioner of Mantralaya security Prashant Pardeshi, intervened to remove the protesters. None of them were seriously injured.

Ongoing agitation

Dhangar community's hunger strike and reservation benefits

Currently, the Dhangar community is part of the Nomadic Tribes (NT) category, receiving reservation benefits in government jobs and education up to 3.5%. Inclusion in the ST category would increase their reservation quota to 7%. Six members from this community have been on an indefinite hunger strike since September 9. The protesters claim that their community is identical to the Dhangads, which are listed as Scheduled Tribes in several states.