1. Dhangar Caste
According to Article 342 of the Indian Constitution, the first order of the President regarding the state of Maharashtra was issued in September 1950, and since then, the lists of Scheduled Tribes have been updated by Parliament. The name Dhangar is not included in those lists. The list of Scheduled Tribes published for the Mumbai province does not mention the Oraon or Dhangad tribes. In the lists of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, it mentions Oraon, including Dhanka and Dhangad.
2. Dhangar Samaj
The Mumbai Reorganisation Act of 1960 listed Oraon, including Dhanka and Dhangad, in the Scheduled Tribes list published for the state of Maharashtra. For this, areas were designated in the Melghat taluka of Amravati district, Gadchiroli and Sironcha talukas of Chandrapur district, and Kelapur, Wani, and Yavatmal talukas in Yavatmal district. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act of 1976 includes Dhangar, Oraon, and Dhangad in the list of Scheduled Tribes published for the state of Maharashtra.
3. Dhangar Caste Category in Maharashtra
On 12th June 1979, the Under Secretary of Social Welfare had recommended to the central government to include the Dhangar community in the list of scheduled tribes. However, there are criteria set for including a community in the scheduled tribes. Since the Dhangar community does not meet those criteria, the recommendation made by the Social Welfare Department has been withdrawn after reconsideration.
4. Dhangar Population in Maharashtra
According to the Maharashtra government's decision in 1967, the Dhangar community was included in the list of other backward classes in Maharashtra. Right now, the Dhangar community is a prominent caste in Maharashtra and is included in the list of nomadic tribes of the state, with related benefits being allowed. The Dhangar community in Maharashtra state is estimated to be around 01 crore, which is approximately 9% of the Maharashtra's total population.
Also, currently, 3.5% reservation is provided for nomadic tribes (like Dhangars and similar tribes) in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, in the list of scheduled tribes in Maharashtra, which has a population of 1 crore 5 lakh, a total of 45 scheduled tribes are currently included, and they have a total reservation of 7%.
5. Dhangar community in Maharashtra
According to the decisions made in the meeting held on 12 July 2005 by the Maharashtra government, the active research team has mentioned in their survey report that the customs, practices, traditions, deities and traditional occupations of the Dhangar community in Maharashtra are different from those of the Dhangad community, and that both communities are distinct from each other. The Allahabad High Court has also thoroughly considered the inclusion of the Dhangar community of Maharashtra in the Scheduled Tribes category in its decision in writ petition no. 404662/2009.
6. Dhangar Matrimony
The Dhangar community, an important community in Maharashtra, is known for its traditional lifestyle, occupations, and customs. The main professions of the Dhangar community are shepherding and farming. Their cultural traditions, festivals, and wedding practices are still preserved today. Festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Dasara are celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Dhangar community. Their wedding practices follow specific customs and traditions.
7. Conclusion
The demand to include the Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribes is a big social and political issue in Maharashtra. They believe that their demand for reservation will give the community equal opportunities. The government needs to find a proper solution to this demand.
