CANACONA
Accusing Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa of insulting and demeaning over 30,000 Dhangar Community members by his controversial references to the community, Goa Dhangar Samaj Unatti Mandal (GDSUM) has demanded that he withdraws the statement immediately and tenders an immediate apology to the community.
Addressing media at the Canacona branch, GDSUM president Tukaram Bavdhan strongly condemned the statement of Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa who is alleged to have made references to the Dhangar Community as ‘foxes’.
“The Dhangars are a traditionally a peace-loving living community mostly living in forests. We have several issues and are fighting for our rights such as education, upgrading our livelihood, employment and others. There are about 30,000 members of the Dhangar community spread in all 12 talukas of Goa,” said Bavdhan.
“The ST status is our main issue, and along with GAKUVED (Gawda. Kunbi, Velip, Dhangar), we have together fought for this ST status since the last 22 years. But somehow, the government extended ST status only to our brethren from the Gawda, Kunbi and Velip communities, leaving us high and dry.”
“We are at an advanced stage of ST status for our (Dhangar) community and at this stage, a responsible elected representative of the people of Quepem making such a derogatory reference to our community is insulting and unwarranted. The language used by the MLA doesn’t suit his position as a MLA and we condemn it. He has angered all our 30,000 dhangar living in this State of Goa.”
GDSUM Advisor Aloke Modak warned MLA Altone D’Costa over the use of a derogatory reference to the community and demanded a withdrawal of his statement and an immediate apology to all 30,000 people in the State.
“He is free to play political games with his opponents, but don’t insult and defame the Dhangar Community as ‘Foxes’,” said Modak.
When reminded that D’Costa had never taken the name of Dhangars or the ST in his speech, Modak shot back: “The Quepem MLA while addressing the ST community spoke that foxes are trying to come into their herd of sheep and to beware about it. He made a direct reference to the Dhangar community as ‘foxes’, and Kunbi-Velips as ‘sheep’.”
“Besides, when it is well-known that the government is on the verge of accepting the demand of Dhangars to include them in the ST category, it is pertinently apparent that D’Costa is making a derogatory reference to Dhangars only and no one else, as there is no other community who are demanding ST status.”
Other speakers threatened that the entire community would lead a protest to the house of Altone D’Costa, if the Quepem MLA failed to withdraw his statement and immediately tender an apology.
Others who spoke included GDSUM Secretary Deepak Zore, members Rahul Zore, Sanjay Zore, Janu Bavdhan, Kondu Bavdhan, Ram Bavdhan, Rupesh Zore, Damu Zore and Nagu Zore.
