Mumbai, Sept. 16 -- The Banjara community intensified its campaign for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status on Monday by holding two massive rallies, in Beed and Jalna, with thousands of people in attendance. This was the first time the community's members had gathered in such large numbers to support their cause. With local body elections due soon in Maharashtra, several politicians from across the political spectrum also endorsed the community's demand and participated in the protests. Former minister and NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde, who had already extended his support to the Banjaras, demanded that the state government form a committee to give the community ST status. "The state government should appoint a committee to give ST status to the Banjara community as they are part of the ST segment in many states, including Rajasthan and Telangana," said Munde, an OBC leader from Beed who was forced to resign as a state minister in March after his close aide, Walmik Karad, was arrested as a prime accused in the brutal murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The Banjara community has been demanding inclusion in the ST category after the Maharashtra government accepted the Hyderabad Gazette, issued in 1918, as a valid document to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in Marathwada. Kunbis qualify for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. The Banjaras claim that the same gazette considers them STs, and their community members in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh get reservation benefits under the ST quota based on this. After the Maratha community was successful in pressing for its reservation demands following an agitation in Mumbai earlier this month, the Banjaras are now trying to put pressure on the government in a similar manner. On Monday, the community held a rally in Beed from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk to the collector's office. Those leading the march handed over a memorandum to the collector requesting the government to accept their demand. The Banjara community is part of Vimukt Jati (Denotified Tribes) in the state and gets 3% reservation in education and government jobs. If their demand for ST status is approved, their quota will be increased by 4%, as STs get 7% reservation. Congress MLA Rajesh Rathod, who participated in the rally at Jalna, said that since the Hyderabad Gazette recognises the Banjara community as STs, the state government should start issuing tribal certificates to them at the earliest by promulgating an ordinance. "Marathwada and Vidarbha were part of the Nizam rule, which recognised Banjaras as tribals. Thus, they are eligible to get ST status," he said. State revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the government is ready to discuss the demands. "We will have to send the demand to the Centre for approval, as it is directly related to the central government," he said....