Uproar in Maha council over Dhangar, Maratha quota

Noisy scenes were witnessed today in the Maharashtra Legislative Council with the Opposition demanding Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' reply on the issue of granting quotas for the Dhangar and Maratha communities.

Raising the issue, Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde (NCP) and MLCs Ramrav Vadkute, Khwaja Baig and Haribhau Rathod demanded that members of the Dhangar (Shephard) community be granted reservation under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

Vadkute demanded that the chief minister be present in the Council and reply to the issue.

Munde questioned the "assurances" given in the past by the government to members of the Dhangar community on implementation of the quota.

He demanded that the government clear its stand on the issue.

The Opposition MLCs started raising slogans and stormed into the Well of the council demanding reservation for the Dhangar community.

Amid din, the Upper House was adjourned for ten minutes by the Chair and the discussion was reserved for the CM's reply.

After the Council reassembled, Munde demanded discussion on the proposed 16 per cent quota for the Marathas and five per cent reservation for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutes.

Munde said the issue of the Maratha reservation is very serious and the community feels very strongly about it.

MLC Bhai Jagtap, Sanjay Dutt and Narendra Patil also raised the issue of Maratha reservation and demanded discussion under Rule 289.

As Education Minister Vinod Tawde (BJP) was speaking on the issue, the Opposition benches started raising slogans.

The members of various parties stormed into the Well of the Council raising slogans in favour of the Maratha reservation.