Members of the Dhangar community in Maharashtra threw turmeric powder on Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil. The action took place at a government guest house and caught the minister’s aides and security off guard.
Vikhe-Patil was reading a memorandum handed to him by protesters when one of them quickly threw turmeric powder on his head and face. Videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media. The protester, identified as Shekhar Bangale from the Dhangar Aarakshan Kruti Samiti, was detained and warned that further protests might involve “blackening the face” of ministers if their demands aren’t met.
Minister Vikhe-Patil played down the incident, describing turmeric as “holy” and a “matter of joy.” He assured that the government is adopting a sensitive approach to the quota demands of the Dhangar community.
Currently, the Dhangars are included in the Vimukta Jati & Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) category, receiving around 3.5% reservation. However, they demand quotas in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, similar to their ‘Dhangad’ counterparts in other parts of India. The community argues that a typographical error changed ‘Dhangad’ to ‘Dhangar,’ causing them to be categorized under VJNT in Maharashtra.
Community leaders mention that during the Nizam era, Dhangars had reservations under the ST category, and this should be considered. In Maharashtra, the state’s total reservation quota is divided as follows: Scheduled Castes (SC) get 13%, STs get 7%, Other Backward Classes (OBC) get 19%, and VJNT, Special BCs, and Nomadic Tribes account for the remaining 13%.
Gopichand Padalkar, a BJP Dhangar MLC, said that throwing turmeric is considered an auspicious act, symbolizing the blessings of Lord Khandoba, the community’s deity. Padalkar urged the community to remain calm, stating that the government supports their cause and the matter is currently in court.