Mumbai, Oct 4: Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, along with two tribal legislators, jumped from the third floor of the Mantralaya building on Friday in protest over the Dhangar community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. They landed safely on the protective nets surrounding the building, preventing any serious injuries, officials reported. The net had been installed in the building in 2018 to prevent suicide attempts in the secretariat.
The protest arose from the ongoing debate about including the Dhangar community, a shepherd group from western Maharashtra and Marathwada, in the ST quota. The Dhangar community argues that they have been excluded from the ST category due to an error in the Centre’s database, which recognizes “Dhangad” but not “Dhangar.”
Zirwal and other tribal leaders are opposing this inclusion, claiming it would be unjust to the state’s existing tribal communities. The protest followed recent unrest, including a large tribal demonstration in Gondia on September 30, where participants opposed the inclusion of Dhangars in the ST category.
In response to the controversy, state minister Shambhuraj Desai announced the formation of a panel of IAS officers to determine if “Dhangar” and “Dhangad” refer to the same community.
