Aurangabad: Members of the Dhangar (traditionally shepherds) community on Monday began a protest at different entry and exit points of the city to press for 16% reservation in education and government jobs under the Scheduled Tribe category.Agitations were staged at Harsul, Padegaon, Chikalthana and Nakshatrawadi. The protestors had earlier sought police permission, and no untoward incidents were reported, although traffic snarls occurred.Rahul Wani, a leader of the Dhangar community, said the state government should include his community in the Schedule Tribe (ST) category and offer reservation. “The state government had assured us quota, but that has not been translated into action yet. A major section of our community is still not in the mainstream, and we remain deprived of basic education and opportunities for employment. It is high time the government declare quota for us under ST category,” he said.The protest was organised on the death anniversary of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, ruler of the Holkar dynasty and Dhangar queen, who died on this day in 1795. Protestors carrying yellow flags raised slogans seeking reservation on Monday.Protestors said they were only asserting their demand for reservation and would not take the law into their hands. “We have made it amply clear to all those joining this protest that we cannot resort to violence. However, a show of strength was necessary so the public at large can see our demand. That is the objective of today’s protest,” Wani explained.Coming close on the heels of recent violent protests by the Maratha community, police were on their toes on Monday and bandobast was in place since Monday morning.Gathered under the banner of Dhangar Sangharsh Samiti, the members of Dhangar community said the future course of action would be decided on August 16. “Our leaders are in talks with ruling party leaders. Let us hope some concrete solution works out,” one protestor said.Pooja to bus (with photo)During the recent agitations, public buses were targeted. Protestors from the Dhangar community near Jamkhed in Ahmednagar district, however, surprised many by felicitating the driver and conductor of an MSRTC bus as a road was blocked during the agitation. Protestors offered pooja to state transport bus and let it pass, after holding it up for a while as part of the rasta-roko protest.

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