PANAJI
Tribals, Goa's native indigenous dwellers, cannot alone be considered as Bhumiputras (sons of the soil), according to Goa's Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, who is one of the two cabinet ministers in the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant cabinet who represents the tribal community.
While Gaude, on Monday, agreed with the demand made by the United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) to rename the controversial Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill 2021 and drop the word 'putra' from the legislation's title, he rejected accusations levelled by the Opposition, other tribal groups and civil society activists who have claimed the law had been enacted with an eye on the migrant vote-bank ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls.
"Tribals should not alone be considered as 'Bhumiputras'. Bhumiputras are those who have built their lives in Goa. Those who have come here, lived here decades ago, some even before Liberation. This has not been done to favour migrants," the cabinet minister said.
Gaude, also told reporters in Panaji, that his views mirrored with the sentiment expressed by UTAA -- an umbrella body championing tribal rights in the state -- which has urged Sawant to alter the legislation's title.
"My stand is that the Chief Minister and the Revenue Department should consider and do the needful. If you are asking regarding UTAA, I can say they have given me a representation. They want the word Bhumiputra to be replaced and the legislation be called Bhumi Adhikarini bill instead. They have no other issues. They have also given a memorandum to the CM," Gaude said, adding that in view of the formal representation, there was "no question" of him making any fresh suggestions to Sawant.
Gaude also said that he was confident that the Chief Minister would speak to all sections of society before implementing the law, adding that it was the need of the hour because many native Goans were living in homes, which they still could not call their own, citing his own constituency of Priol as an example.
"In my constituency alone, there are many Goans, Bhumiputras who have lived in homes built on someone else's property for so many years. They do not have a house number. They use power, water, but the panchayat does not get any revenue," Gaude said.
