Tribal community members protest against govt's 'plan' to induct Dhangars in ST category

Gondia, Sept 30 (PTI) Hundreds of tribals on Monday protested in Gondia city alleging that the Maharashtra government was trying to induct Dhangars in the ST category.

A memorandum was submitted to the district collector stating that Dhangars (shepherds) are not tribals and that any attempt to induct them in the ST list will be an injustice to tribals.

State minister Shambhuraj Desai recently said the Maharashtra government will set up a panel, including three IAS officers, to establish that ‘Dhangar’ and ‘Dhangad’ are different names of the same community.

Dhangars, a shepherd community from western Maharashtra and the state’s Marathwada region, have been demanding its inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

The community says it has been deprived of the quota as the centre’s database has no mention of ‘Dhangar’ but instead identifies ‘Dhangad’ as part of STs. Dhangars are currently on the ‘Nomadic Tribe’ list. PTI COR NSK