PANAJI
Expressing great displeasure over delaying tactics of the BJP-led double engine government, the ‘Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes (ST)’ on Sunday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Central and State government to issue notification for setting up the delimitation commission or to reserve four assembly constituencies -- Sanguem, Priol, Quepem and Nuvem for STs -- failing which chain hunger strike will be held on March 6.
Pointing out to the failure of Home Minister Amit Shah to place the issue before the Central cabinet on February 28, as assured, the ST body also warned to work against the ruling BJP for the upcoming 2024 parliamentary polls. The community has around 1.80 lakh voters.
Addressing a press conference, tribal leader Rupesh Velip said that the Home Minister Amit Shah, last week had assured the Goa delegation led by the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to move a resolution on granting political reservation to STs in Goa before the Central cabinet on February 28. “However, we were fooled once again as the issue was not placed before the cabinet. Our people are now frustrated with BJP’s tactics,” he said.
“We give 48 hours to the State government to start the process and issue notification reserving four constituencies for STs. Reservation can be done based on either 2001 or 2011 census data. Failing this, we will resort to a chain hunger strike on March 6 at Azad Maidan, Panaji,” he said.
“Even after then, if before the election code of conduct, the government does not act on our demand, the community will take further stand including to work against BJP for the upcoming polls,” another tribal leader Rama Kankonkar added.
According to the tribal leaders in August 2013, the President of India promulgated an Ordinance titled ‘Readjustment and Reorientation of SC and ST in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies (Second) Ordinance 2013’. Based on the aforesaid Ordinance, the ECI had started the process to give political reservation to STs of Goa. However, the State government did not follow up on the implementation of the Ordinance and it eventually lapsed.
They said that if the Government of India can set up a one-member Delimitation Commission and give justice to Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, why can't it be extended to Goa.
