Despite criticism, BJP trumpets Centre's decision on political reservation for STs

BJP ST leaders honouring CM Pramod Sawant and party chief Sadanand Tanavade for the Union Cabinet’s decision on political reservations.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
Unfazed by the strong reservations expressed by some tribal groups over the Union Cabinet’s decision to introduce a Bill on political reservations, the ruling BJP has gone into a celebration mode, planning to hold melavas (rallies/meets) in the ST-dominated talukas of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem and the Priol constituency in the next 8-10 days.

Even as a tribal group vowed to continue the ongoing hunger strike at the Azad Maidan and with the Mission for Political Reservation calling for a rethink on the Union Cabinet’s decision, the ST Cell of the BJP hailed the decision and felicitated both Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and party president Sadanand Tanavade at the BJP South Goa district office on Friday.

Taking the ongoing battle in the opponents' camp, the Chief Minister termed those opposing the move as “kachas and bachas”, apparently referring to the presence of tribal leaders such as Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Sport Minister Govind Gawde, UTAA Chief Prakash Velip, MLA Ganesh Gaonkar on the platform to hail the Union Cabinet’s decision.

He also took the platform to launch a tirade against the Congress, accusing the opposition party of instigating and misguiding some tribal groups against the BJP government over political reservations.

The Chief Minister went to the extent of holding the Congress government responsible for the death of the two tribal youths in the Balli agitation, Mangesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip. The Congress government headed by then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was ruling the State when the two tribal youths died in the Balli agitation on May 25, 2011.

“The Union Cabinet’s decision will be celebrated across the State along with tribal groups, including UTAA, GAKUVED, etc, in the areas of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem, Priol and other places to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the long-pending demand for the political reservations of the ST community,” Sawant said.

“Who was ruling Goa when the two tribal youths were killed in the Balli agitation? Was the State not ruled by Congress in 2011 when these two youths were killed at Balli? The Congress has done nothing for the tribal community,” the Chief Minister said.

Saying the BJP is committed towards the upliftment of the tribal community, Sawant said the government has recently launched an ST research centre at Sanguem and has initiated the work of a museum at Farmagudi to showcase and protect the struggles and movements of the scheduled tribes for posterity.