Maharashtra MLAs, Dy Speaker Leap from Third Floor of Secretariat Building

In a dramatic protest on Friday, three MLAs from the tribal community, including Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, leapt from the third floor of Mantralaya, also known as the Secretariat, over unresolved issues affecting their community. Fortunately, they landed safely on protective nets installed in 2018 to prevent such incidents.

The MLAs, affiliated with Ajit Pawar’s faction, have been vocal about their demands, particularly regarding the contentious Dhangar reservation issue and recruitment delays. For several days, they have been demonstrating, frustrated with the lack of progress on these matters.

Their protest reached a boiling point when they jumped from the third floor after gaining access to the building. Security forces later intervened, escorting the MLAs out of the premises.

Zirwal and his colleagues oppose the proposed inclusion of the Dhangar community into the tribal category, a move they argue would negatively impact the existing tribal populations. While Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has formed a committee to address the Dhangar community’s inclusion, the tribal MLAs feel excluded from the decision-making process.

Zirwal, in particular, has been at the forefront of the protests, stating that the government has continuously sidelined their concerns. “For two years, we’ve been protesting issues like PESA recruitment and Dhangar reservations, but we’ve been left out of key discussions and decisions,” he said earlier this week at the Secretariat.

As tensions rise, the government’s next steps in addressing the demands of both the tribal and Dhangar communities remain critical.