NCP Ajit Pawar group MLA and Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal recently made headlines after jumping from the third floor of the ministry building onto a safety net, as part of a protest for tribal rights. Zirwal , along with other tribal MLAs including Kiran Lahamte and Kashiram Pawara, was protesting the stalled recruitment under the Protection of Economically Weaker Sections Act (PEGA) and against the inclusion of the Dhangar community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. The protest drew significant attention, and the participants were safely escorted out by the police.
However, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray criticized Narhari Zirwal's method of protest, questioning its effectiveness. Thackeray sarcastically remarked that Maharashtra's politics had turned into a "circus," with politicians "jumping on nets in the ministry." He further added that there are some in Maharashtra's political landscape who should be "made to jump from buildings without nets," in an indirect jibe at Jirwal and others involved.
In response, Narhari Zirwal defended his actions, emphasizing that his protest was for the benefit of the tribal community. He firmly stated, "If this is a circus of politics, let me make it so. But my tribal brothers deserve justice." He further added that the protest was necessary to draw attention to long-pending issues affecting the tribal community and criticized the delay in addressing these problems.
Zirwal , standing by his actions, asserted, "I am a tribal. If I need to jump for the betterment of society, I will do so. Many others will do the same if it leads to justice." He also reiterated that his protest was not just for political gain but to ensure justice for tribal children and future generations.