Dhangar leader demands ST status, warns stir

Nagpur: Rajya Sabha MP and Dhangar community leader Vikas Mahatme on Friday warned of an agitation by his community members if they are not granted the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in Maharashtra. The Dhangar (shepherd) community has been for long demanding the ST status which will allow them to avail reservation in government jobs and education.

The community is currently classified as a Nomadic Tribe (NT) in the state and Mahatme's comments come in the backdrop of the ongoing protests by the Marathas over their demand for reservation in government jobs and education.

Mahatme said he raised the ST status issue in the Rajya Sabha yesterday. Mahatme said, "The issue of granting ST status to the Dhangar community has been pending since the last 70 years. The BJP, in its election manifesto, had promised ST status to the Dhangar community."

The government should recommend to the Centre to include the Dhangars in the list of STs, said Mahatme.