Dhangar activists clash with NCP workers

Activists of an outfit demanding reservation for Dhangar (shepherd) community today clashed with NCP workers outside the party's south Mumbai office over purported anti-quota remarks by former minister Madhukar Pichad.
The incident occurred when some workers claiming to be part of "Yashwant Sena" marched to the NCP office in Nariman Point area in south Mumbai shouting slogans against former Tribal Development Minister Madhukar Pichad.
The drama unfolded on a road leading to Vidhan Bhawan complex in the same locality.
The activists held banners bearing Pichad's photo which they blackened and hit with footwears.
While they barged into the premises of NCP office, the activists of the Sharad Pawar-led party confronted them, blocking their passage to the office, leading to a scuffle.

Yashwant Sena claimed Pichad had issued a statement yesterday against reservation to Dhangar community.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged the protesters had the backing of Maharshtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He also claimed to have spotted a few BJP workers along with Yashwant Sena men.
"After they barged into our party premises, they created a ruckus for around 30 minutes during which there was not a single police personnel present. In a sensitive area like this, we cannot believe that police allows protests on the road opposite Vidhan Bhavan and 'Mantralaya' (secretariat) and does nothing to stop it," Malik told reporters.

He said the incident had the "blessings" of the Chief Minister, that is why "police did nothing to stop the vandalism".
"In fact, he (CM) has invited this violence. He thus has lost the right to remain as CM on moral grounds. We therefore demand his immediate resignation," the NCP leader said.
The Dhangar community is demanding reservation under the Scheduled Tribe category. In 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, the BJP formed an alliance with Rashtriya Samaj Party, which is spearheading the protest for Dhangar reservation.
"NCP remains firm that reservation should be given to
Dhangars. The Centre should convene a special Cabinet meeting at the earliest and do the needful. Our party will back this decision," he said.

Reacting to the NCP's charges, BJP said the Sharad Pawar-led party was suffering from the "CM phobia".
"The CM is a person who is full of dignity. He will never resort to such dirty measures. NCP's comments shouldn't be even taken seriously as they are just a source of amusement for the people of the state and for our party," BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said.
He said the NCP should stop playing "dirty tricks" if it wanted to win some respectable number of seats in upcoming BMC polls.
Yashwant Sena is a social reform association formed by B K Kokare. Interestingly, its leadership was later handed to Mahadev Jankar, currently a senior cabinet minister in BJP government.