Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the government is committed to giving justice to the Dhangar community, after the Opposition raised the issues of the community’s pending demand for reservation, in the Legislative Council on Monday.

A special meeting on the matter will be held on Friday.

A question by Ramhari Rupanvar (Congress) on the status of reservation to the community came up for discussion in the House on Monday. The community has been demanding reservation, and based on a Tata Institute of Social Sciences report, the State had formed a sub-committee in March 2019 to study the demands.

In his written response, Tribal Development Minister K.C. Padvi said, “The proposal has been sent to the Advocate General through the Law Department for remarks. Further action will be taken based on his remarks. The Home Department has asked for a report from the Director General of Police about withdrawing cases against Dhangar reservation protesters. At present, the community has reservation under nomadic tribes.”

When the question came up for discussion during Question Hour, the Opposition came down heavily on the government for failing to provide this reservation. Legislators rushed to the well, raising slogans against the government, whereas Maha Vikas Aghadi members asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) what it did for the community in its five-year rule. The House was adjourned twice over the issue.

BJP ally Vinayak Mete said, “The TISS report was presented on March 2, 2019. The CM is here. This is a complex and important issue. I request the CM to give his opinion.” Leader of Opposition Pravin Darekar asked for a definite timeline for the decision.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab announced that compounded cases against protesters will be withdrawn, but criminal cases will have to be investigated individually. Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar directed that a meeting be held in his chambers on Friday.

When the Opposition continued to create a ruckus, the CM said, “It is an old demand. Many people promised to resolve the issue and landed plum positions for themselves. They made their careers, but the community stayed deprived. We are committed to working for all communities. The issue needs to be studied and resolved once and for all. The Opposition should not think only they care about this issue. The government is committed to it.”