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Mumbai: The political sabre-rattling over the popular ‘Dahi Handi’ festival continued in Maharashtra with Industries Minister and Eknath Shinde-faction Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant hitting out at the Opposition for attempting to ‘mislead’ the public over the Shinde-Fadnavis government’s decision to elevate the festival to the status of an adventure sport.
Recently, during the Janmashthami celebrations, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had announced his government would recognize the Dahi Handi – where human towers are formed by participants known as Govindas who attempt to reach out the earthen pot containing curds – as an adventure sport.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had recently also announced a 5% reservation to the ‘Govindas’ in government jobs, which has caused a furore amongst the opposition parties as well as students across the State.
Clarifying doubts over the issue, Industries Minister Uday Samant said the reservation would not affect the prospects of those students appearing for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams in any manner as the reservation would be included within the sports quota itself.
He accused the opposition (particularly the Nationalist Congress Party – NCP) of trying to malign the new government merely because it had recognized a traditional Hindu festival as an adventure sport.
Industries Minister Uday Samant remarked, “This coalition government under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is taking decisions in the interest of the people. The recognition of Dahi Handi – a Hindu festival – as an adventure sport will help make the sport known at a global level.”
Arguing that there was an “atmosphere of excitement” among the Govindas owing to the State government’s announcements, the Industries Minister stated that the reservation criteria would be formulated after studying the guidelines of the Supreme Court and those stipulated by the Central Government.
Rebuking the NCP and other opposition parties, Samant further stated, “No one should oppose this positive announcement merely for the sake of opposition given that there has been a long-standing demand to accord Dahi Handi such recognition.”
Meanwhile, in a show of strength against the beleaguered MVA coalition, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended a massive Dahi Handi celebration in Amravati district which was hosted by Independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her Independent MLA husband, Ravi Rana.
The political duo who had been briefly arrested earlier this year by the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray regime for threatening to recite the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in front of Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ earlier this year.
In a jibe aimed at Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction and the opposition parties Devendra Fadnavis said, “Under the new government, anyone can recite the Hanuman Chalisa without fear while all festivals, be it Ganesh festivities, Diwali will be celebrated with great fervour.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the Shinde government’s announcement on Dahi Handi, Maharashtra Leader of Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar remarked that it was “not a thoughtful decision” as Dahi Handi was not linked to any sports associations. “How will one keep a record of Govindas, their qualifications among other things?” he questioned.
Echoing Ajit Pawar, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal demanded to know how the process of the registration of Govindas would take place at the taluka, district and state levels and who would qualify for the jobs while criticizing the ruling government for taking a purely populist decision.
