Maharashtra govt has taken ‘positive lead’ on Dhangar quota issue, says Dy CM Fadnavis

Earlier in the day, CM Shinde, after meeting the delegation, said his government will study the methodology adopted by states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana and Chhattisgarh on the Dhangar community's demands for reservation.

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the state government has taken a “positive lead” in solving the issue of reservations for the Dhangar community.

He was replying to queries on a meeting held with representatives of the community in Mumbai.

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“The state government has taken a positive lead on the issue. I am sure after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde showed a lot of positiveness, there will be some sort of solution on this issue,” he said.

Earlier in the day, CM Shinde, after meeting the delegation, said his government will study the methodology adopted by states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana and Chhattisgarh on the Dhangar community’s demands for reservation.

“A committee comprising state bureaucrats and representatives from the Dhangar community will study the methodology of the implementation of quota in these states. A report will be prepared in a month and will be submitted to the attorney general for legal opinion,” Shinde said.

Asserting that his government was positive about quota for Dhangars, the CM said there was a suggestion to set up a committee under a retired justice to look into the issue and a decision on this would be taken soon if necessary.

Asked about MLA Bacchu Kadu’s statement that though the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, which seeks to give 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, had been passed in the Lok Sabha, the shots will be called by their male counterparts, Fadnavis said it was true for the first five years when such reservation was introduced in local bodies, but later more competent women were elected to such posts.

“So I do not agree with his statement,” Fadnavis asserted.

Speaking at a Ganesh mandal, Fadnvais claimed the respect for Hindu culture was increasing at the world level.

“It is also true that some stupid people make stupid statements about Sanatan Dharma and Hindu culture. I believe if there is any oldest continuous civilisation in the world, its is Indian culture, Sanatan culture and Hindu culture,” he said in an apparent reference to remarks made by certain Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders recently.

“It (such anti Sanatan Dharma statements) will not have any effect,” he added.