Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal on Monday questioned the need to include the Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, a day after the state government announced a panel to resolve the issue of their reservations, news agency PTI reported. Currently, the community is classified as a Nomadic Tribe.  

Dhangars are a shepherd community from western Maharashtra and the Marathwada region, have been demanding inclusion in ST category. The community claims that it has been deprived of the quota as the Centre's database has no mention of Dhangar but instead identifies Dhangad as part of STs.