the goan I network
MARGAO
A tribal body “Bhumiputra Seva Sangathan” is up in arms over the letter addressed by the president of Goa Government Employees Association John Nazareth to the Chief Secretary to stop granting promotions to the employees belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes and to revert back the promotions issued for SC and ST employees granted in 2006 as per a recent Supreme Court judgement.
A delegation of the Sangathan, including President Shankar Gaonkar, Peter Viegas, Francis Colaco and others called on the Maina-Curtorim police station on Sunday and lodged a complaint against John Nazareth with a plea to book him under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The action by the Sangathan came after a meeting of members of the organisation at the Sanskruti Bhavan, Davorlim on Sunday wherein the panel slammed John Nazareth for what they called as misinterpreting the recent Supreme Court judgement.
Sangathan President Shankar Gaonkar told the media after lodging a formal complaint with the Maina-Curtorim police that John Nazareth has not only made the letter to the Chief Secretary, but his letter also went viral, leaving the SC & ST government employees in state of shock.
“John Nazareth had issued the letter to the CS in his individual capacity and without calling the general body meeting and taking the SC & ST employees into account.
Gaonkar said that Nazareth by his representation to the Chief Secretary has promoted and attempted to promote feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will against members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, adding that other members of the government employees association will now see the SC & ST employees with enmity, hatred and ill will. “Already some of our ST officers, who are recently promoted, are being disrespected by members of the general category after they came across Nazareth’s letter on the social media,” Gaonkar added.
He said the Supreme Court judgement has only held that whether to continue with the reservations in promotions or not is discretion of the State government, adding that the Apex court has not held to stop the reservations in promotions or revert the promotions as alleged by Nazareth.
