the goan I network
MARGAO
Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar on Sunday urged the Commissioner of SC & ST Commission to conduct a fresh survey of Scheduled Castes in the state so as to help them avail benefits of reservations and other govt schemes.
The deputy Chief Minister also demanded that the Scheduled Tribes should also get political reservations in the state on the lines of SC community.
Claiming that casteism has not come to an end in the society, with high class people still indulging in discrimination, Ajgaonkar said it was because of Babasaheb Ambedkar that the SCs and STs are enjoying reservations in the country. “After Pakistan, there would have been Dalitstan had Ambedkar not forced his way and given protection to the SCs and ST in the Constitution. People like me would not have made it to the Legislative Assembly if there were no reservations,” he said.
Addressing a program held at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao for government servants belonging to the SC & ST community on promotions organised by the SC & ST Commission, Ajgaonkar said the population of Scheduled Castes in the State has gone up in recent times, but they have been left out of reservations and schemes for want of a survey.
Turning to the SC & ST Commissioner Prakash Velip, the deputy Chief Minister said the Commission should conduct a fresh survey of the SC population in the state. “The SC population in Goa was put at two per cent from 18 per cent. But, population of the community has increased in recent time, but they have been losing the reservation benefits for want of a latest survey,” he said, while making a plea to the Commission to conduct a survey.
Saying that the ST community should also get political reservations on the lines of the SC community, Ajgaonkar gave a call to the SC & ST community to unitedly face the challenges faced by the two communities in the state. “If any injustice is meted out to an LDC belonging to the
SC, the two communities should unite to get justice for the victim. Similarly, the two communities should rise in unison if any member of the ST community is meted out harassment,” he said.
He exuded confidence that the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will provide justice to the lower sections of society, saying the Chief Minister himself hails from the Bahujan Samaj.
In his address, Tribal Welfare Minister Govind Gaude made a fervent plea to the government officers and employees to be brave to face any injustice meted out to them by the higher authorities. “We have all come from the movement. We are all educated also. Our ancestors had to undergo the atrocities. Be brave and stand up to defend the rights of the community members,” he said.
