Ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls, Vanjari community launches stir for quota hike

In what may churn the state's political waters before the state assembly polls due next month, the powerful Vanjari community has launched a state-wide protest demanding a hike in their quotas. An action committee, which has organised a series of morchas across Maharashtra, has sought welfare measures for sections like sugarcane cutters and unemployed youth from the community, failing which they would take a stance against the ruling party.

At present, Vanjaris, who account for significant numbers in areas like Marathwada, Vidarbha, parts of western Maharashtra and north Maharashtra, have 2% quotas and are included in the nomadic tribes (NT-D) category.

The VJNT (Vimukta Jatis and Nomadic Tribes) category, which was carved out of the other backward classes (OBC), with ring-fenced reservations for groups like vimukta jatis, which are de-notified communities, and the nomadic tribes, have 11% quotas across categories like VJ, NT-B, C and D. The VJNT categories also include sections like Kaikadis, Dhangars and Lohars. However, this demand for merging quota categories has been opposed by other groups.

"The Vanjari community has voted almost enbloc for the BJP over the years. Yet, many villages dominated by us lack basic facilities like roads and water. We will hold a meeting on Sunday at Aurangabad to decide on the course of political action… our demand includes increasing our share of quotas from 2% to 10% or doing away with sub-categories in the NT category," said Balasaheb Sanap, co-ordinator, Vanjari Kruti Arakshan Samiti.

He added that while the NT category was carved out in the 1990s for sections like Vanjaris (NT-D) and Dhangars (NT-C), the population of the Vanjari community had grown over the years. "While one of our demands, namely the set up of a welfare corporation named after senior BJP leader late Gopinath Munde has been fulfilled, we want it to be given funding of Rs 500 crore to give seed funding for educated unemployed Vanjari youth," said Sanap, who also heads the 'Jai Bhagwan Mahasangh.' The action committee is also demanding hostels in all districts for students from the community.

Munde, who was the BJP's tallest mass leaders in Maharashtra, is credited for expanding the social base of the party, and was the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. He passed away in 2014 and his daughter Pankaja, who is pitched as a probable chief ministerial candidate by her supporters is the state rural development minister, while her sister Dr Pritam is the MP from Beed. Munde's nephew Dhananjay defected to the NCP and is the leader of opposition in the state legislative council.

Sanap said they had organised the first morcha at Beed on August 22, which was followed up by those at Bhum, Jamkhed, Barshi, Nevasa, Pathardi, Nashik, Ahmedpur and Sangamner.

"I have a list of another 45 likely venues for the protest," said Sanap, who was however non-committal when asked about how the state government could fulfill their demands when the assembly polls were likely to be declared this week.

"The Vanjari community is incensed and has taken to the streets. We have always supported the BJP. Hence, the state government must take heed of our demands, failing which we will be compelled to take a different path," he threatened, adding that Vanjaris accounted for around 95 lakh of the state's population with influence in over 40 assembly segments.

The community also accounts for a significant number of sugarcane cutters and seasonal labour from Beed.

However, the demand has been opposed by other groups from the VJNT categories. "The quotas are based on their proportion in the population. We are opposed to merging all VJNT quota categories. These classes and communities cannot be compared to or compete with each other," Prakash Khade of the Yashwantrao Holkar Prathisthan.