The NCP’s Pune unit Monday staged a protest against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s announcement over reservation in government jobs for participants of Dahi Handi.
Last week, while speaking in the Assembly Shinde had announced that the formation of the human pyramid during Dahi Handi will now be considered an adventure sport and those who participate in it will be eligible for government jobs under 5 per cent sports quota.
The protesters accused Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of doing injustice to aspirants for government jobs preparing to get through the competitive examinations.
A large number of women and men participated in the protest on F C Road. They played with marbles and gilli danda, saying this will ‘ensure them government jobs’ as per the state government’s decision.
“The state government declared reservation in jobs of participants of Dahi Handi. Also, state minister Chandrakant Patil made a statement that the reservation will also be declared for those playing sports like gilli danda, mangla gaur if there is a demand from citizens. This is injustice done to those preparing hard for government jobs through competitive examination,” said city NCP chief Prashant Jagtap.
“The youths prepare for years for government jobs through competitive examinations including that of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). This kind of announcement to woo voters ahead of civic polls is fooling the public,” added Jagtap.
NCP’s city unit spokesperson Pradeep Deshmukh said the state government is making political announcements. “How will they decide eligibility for participants of Dahi Handi for any particular post in government jobs that requires minimum basic qualification for the work?” asked Deshmukh.
He also pointed out that the Dahi Handi celebrations are held mainly in big cities like Mumbai, Thane, and Pune and so this will be an injustice to the youth in the rural areas of the state.
Several leaders of the Opposition party, including the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Ajit Pawar, have already criticised Shinde’s decision to allow Govindas playing Dahi Handi to be eligible for government jobs under 5 per cent sports quota.
“Extending financial aid to the Govindas is understandable. But what are the criteria for giving them government jobs under the sports quota? What about educational eligibility? What about track record? Even the sports department was not taken into confidence before this decision was taken. Governments cannot take decisions on the whims and wishes of one person,” said Ajit Pawar Saturday.
Pawar, however, did not name Shinde.