Reservation for Dhangar community: BJP MLC slams Sharad Pawar for ignoring pending demand

BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar on Wednesday lashed out at NCP supremo Sharad Pawar for allegedly ignoring the demand for giving reservation to the Dhangar community in Maharashtra. Claiming that Pawar wanted to politicise the issue for his own gain, he alleged that the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government had not provided any money for the upliftment of the Dhangar community. In a veiled reference to the state government's support for the Maratha reservation, Padalkar accused it of harbouring double standards for different communities.

He also warned of commencing a statewide agitation on behalf of the Dhangar community after the COVID-19 situation normalises. Responding to Padalkar's accusations, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde strongly defended Pawar. Moreover, he contended that the former had to say such things to repay the BJP for giving him a ticket to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. 

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Here is what Gopichand Padalkar said: 

"Sharad Pawar is Maharashtra's Corona. Because for the last many years, he has been leading Maharashtra. He has always taken a stance of committing atrocities on the state's backward classes and will continue to do so in the future, He doesn't have an ideology, agenda, or vision. He instigates smaller communities, takes them on his side, and then commits injustice with them. I don't think that he will be positive about the demand of reservation for the Dhangar community. He only wants to politicise the reservation for the Dhangar community."

He added, "The Devendra Fadnavis government which had sanctioned Rs.1000 crore for the Dhangar community could not act on it because the government fell due to betrayal of trust. But this government has not given even Rs.1 for the Dhangar community. This includes 5 hostels, fees of students, the decision for UPSC and MPSC aspirants, giving houses to the homeless, and many such decisions. That's why, when the Assembly and Council session begins, we will have to talk on this issue. The state government is adopting different stances towards different communities. Even our case is going on in court. Why didn't you provide lawyers? Why don't you give them fees? Why is there no meeting on that? You are not doing anything because our representatives are less. No one needs to tell the situation inflicted upon smaller communities that have no representation in the legislature in the last 60 years. Even the kids in the villages have begun to understand the stance of Sharad Pawar in politics. That's why we will start a protest across the state on behalf of the Dhangar community when the COVID-19 crisis reduces."

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