Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and other MLAs being rescued from the safety nets after they jumped from the third floor of the Mantralaya building, in Mumbai.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: In an unprecedented protest, a group of legislators from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community jumped from higher floors to the safety net in the high-security Mantralaya complex to raise the issue of the Adivasis and register protest against the possible inclusion of Dhangars into the tribal reservation category.
The MLAs were led by Narhari Zirwal, the Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
They were also upset with the discontinuation of appointment of ST candidates notified under the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension of Scheduled Area), popularly known as PESA.
The high-drama involved when Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was presiding over a special Cabinet meeting in which Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and their ministerial colleagues were present.
A three-time MLA from Dindori in Nashik district, Zirwal owes allegiance to Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
“This was Plan-A…our Plan-B too is ready,” a visibly upset Zirwal told reporters.
As soon as half a dozen legislators jumped, police and security personnel rescued them from the nets.
Zirwal was accompanied by Kiran Lahamate (NCP), Rajesh Patil (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Hiraman Khoskar (Congress) and Hemant Savra (BJP).
None of the legislators were injured, however, doctors were sent to examine them, particularly Zirwal.
The huge safety net were installed in its high-security secretariat premises in February 2018 after a series of suicide attempts from higher floors.
After the protest, two ministers Girish Mahajan and Abdul Sattar met him.
Shinde is also expected to meet them.
This is the second agitation led by Zirwal who had staged a one-day sit-in protest outside the Mantralaya on 30 September against the government’s move.
The Dhangar community - traditional nomadic shepherds - who get 3.5 per cent reservation in education and jobs under NT (C) category demand that they be placed under STs, which has a 7 per cent quota.
The Dhangar community leaders claim ‘Dhangar’ and ‘Dhangad’ are same and a "typographical error” has deprived them in Maharashtra to get the ST benefits unlike other states.
The ST community is opposed to the idea as it will dilute their quota.
The Dhangars account for 9-10 per cent of the state's population. After the Marathas, Dhangars are the biggest population group.