Dhangar Reservation Row: BJP's Padalkar Targets Sharad Pawar, Says 'NCP Has Contradictory Stand On Issue'

BJP MLC and Dhangar community leader, Gopichand Padalkar on Friday targeted NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his contradictory stand on giving reservation to the Dhangar community in Scheduled Tribes. Padalkar showed discrepancies in Pawar’s statement and his party's stand over the reservation issue. The BJP leader even feared that he might be attacked for strongly supporting the Dhangar reservation.

Speaking at Beed, Padalkar,said “Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar support the Dhangar reservation in the ST. However, Pawar says he would not allow any further reservation in ST. This is a contradictory stand.”

Padalkar assured the community that he would get a reservation in ST for the community.

Padalkar Expresses Fear Of Being Attacked

The BJP leader expressed fear that he might get attacked for promoting the Dhangar reservation issue. “The entire Dhangar community is with me and it is difficult to play politics with them. Therefore, the opponents would finish me. But I don’t pay heed to them. The community should come together,” he added.

Attributing to Chaundi village, the birthplace of Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar, the Dhangar queen, Padalkar said now NCP leader Rohit Pawar is the MLA from the area. “We were never restricted from visiting Chaundi since 2006. However, after Pawar was elected from the area, he brought politics into everything,” he said.