Upset by the BJP-Sena government’s failure to grant them Scheduled Tribe status, members of the Dhangar (shepherd) community have intensified their agitation in Maharashtra.
On Monday, they staged a huge rally at the Azad Maidan here flaying the BJP-Sena government for not taking any action on their demand, which incidentally, was also a poll promise made by the BJP during the Assembly elections last year.
Wearing traditional lemon-yellow turbans and caps, the Dhangars, shouted slogans against the BJP government calling for immediate action. Former MLA Prakash Shengde, who led the protest, said the BJP-Sena government had hoodwinked the Dhangars for their votes.
“During Lok Sabha elections they came and said in rallies “vote for us and we will bring you 'acche din,”’ but 10 months later they are not ready to even talk about the issue. Even [Chief Minister] Devendra Fadnavis is not willing to speak a word on it. When he came to power he promised that they would raise the issue at the first Cabinet meeting but dozens of meetings later there is no word on the issue,” Mr. Shengde said.
The Dhangars warned that if the government did not take positive steps soon they would take to the streets and fight against the ‘injustice.’
While Dhangar groups have been agitating on the issue for a while, the Opposition has also criticised the government for failing to fulfil its poll promise.
On Monday, NCP members stormed into the well of the Maharashtra Legislative Council demanding a discussion on the issue.
Amid the chaos, the House had to be adjourned four times. Leader of the Opposition and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, who also addressed the Dhangars at Azad Maidan, questioned the seriousness of the government and asked why it had failed to fulfil its poll promise.
“The BJP has come to power on the basis of this promise. Lakhs of Dhangars voted for them only because they had promised to accord them ST status at the first Cabinet meeting,” Mr. Munde said in the Assembly.
