A gilli danda shot at a government job in Maharashtra  

Graduates in Maharashtra who are studying for years to clear competitive exams for a state government job might now think of dropping their books and picking up the ‘gilli danda’ instead, or clamber up a ‘dahi handi pyramid’, or sway to the rhythms of the traditional Mangala Gauri dance.  

The State government has deemed that ‘dahi handi’ — where groups of boys and girls form a human pyramid to crack open an earthen pot of dahi or curd strung at a height during the annual Krishna Janmashtami celebrations — is adventure sports, qualifying for the 5 per cent sportspersons quota in government jobs. Further, it plans to categorise gilli danda — a game in which a longer stick (danda) is used to strike a smaller stick (gilli) to the farthest distance possible — and the Mangala Gauri dance — performed by groups of women at home during the traditional Shravan month (July-August) — as sports and, hence, eligible for reservation in government jobs.

Chief Minister and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been on a popular announcements spree ever since he assumed power in Maharashtra with the BJP’s support on June 30. 

‘Preserving culture’   

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Following the job reservation announcement for dahi handi participants, Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that if women demanded then the government would categorise Mangala Gauri dance as sports.

“It is a valid demand. What is objectionable in this?” Patil said during a recent interaction with reporters. “I have also suggested including gilli danda in sports (category).” The State BJP and the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena say encouraging traditional celebrations will help keep Indian culture alive.  Another Cabinet Minister, Uday Samant, wants dahi handi to be recognised as an Olympic sport.

However, the Opposition parties and students unions are demanding restricting the 5 per cent sports quota in state government jobs to athletes who toil for years to gain success. 

Why study? 

“If an uneducated youth is part of the dahi handi celebrations, will he get a government job? What job is the government going to give him? And what about boys and girls who study hard to crack the competitive exams?” asked leader of the Opposition Ajit Pawar. 

Disagreeing with the proposal, a senior government officer told BusinessLine that the government must refrain from taking popular decisions and instead focus on creating employment. “There are thousands of students who want to join the government service and, for that, they put in valuable years of life into studies. Such popular decisions are nothing but a mockery of hardworking students,” he added. 

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the government’s decision, saying the government would define the qualifying parameters for dahi handi participants seeking to join government service through the sports quota. 

Students, meanwhile, remain bemused. “It is better I join a dahi handi group or play gilli danda. The best option is to join the Mangala Gauri dances that take place in my home. Why should I waste time in studies?” P Richa, a postgraduate student in Pune who is preparing for competitive exams, queried sarcastically.      

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