MARGAO
The Goa Tribal Welfare Department has forwarded the data concerning political reservations for the Scheduled Tribes in the Goa Legislative Assembly as per the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee headed by MP Dr Kirit Solanki.
Tribal leaders, however pointed out that this is not the first time that correspondence was made by Goa to Delhi on the issue of political reservations for the ST community, pointing out that similar representations had gone from the Goa government to the Centre in 2007 and 2010, besides reminders over the last decade and half.
That the Tribal Welfare Department had forwarded the data of political reservations to the Centre became evident two days ago when a delegation of United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) called on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Tribal Welfare portfolio.
UTAA chief Prakash Velip informed that during the meeting with Chief Minister on June 1 at the Mantralaya, Sawant has informed the delegation that as per the recommendation of Parliamentary Committee headed by Dr Solanki, Tribal Welfare department has forwarded the data of political reservations in the Goa Assembly. “The Chief Minister has further informed that the government has forwarded the data along with the highest ST population in the four Assembly constituencies to the central government on 24 May, a day before the Prerana Din observed by the tribal community,” Velip said.
Velip, however, said similar information was forwarded to the Centre by then Social Welfare Department in 2007 and reminder in 2010 as there was no separate tribal department then.
Velip said it is now time for the ST communities in Goa to come together and pressurise the Central government through the State government to realise the long-pending demand of political reservations for the Scheduled Tribes in Goa.
Incidentally, former Joint Secretary and Director Social Welfare N D Agrawal on February 6, 2001 had written to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, New Delhi to provide political reservations to the three ST and OBC communities in the State Legislative Assembly.
In his letter, Agrawal had pointed out that based on the survey report, the State government has provided 12 reservations for ST community in Education and Employment with effect from December 24, 2004 and 19 per cent to the other Backward Class community. “As per the provisions made in the Constitution of India and State Acts in proportion of the population, seats are also reserved in the Village Panchayats and the Municipalities. However, these communities have no reservation of seats in the State Legislative Assembly of Goa,” Agrawal had stated.
It was further stated in the letter that there have been a number of petitions and demands from the ST communities that they have not been given appropriate representation in the State Legislative Assembly. “As the reservation in the seats in the Legislative Assembly is governed under the provisions of “The representation of People Act 1951 (Central Act No. 43 of 1950), hence it is proposed that the State Cabinet may recommend to the Government of India to make necessary amendment in the Representation of People Act-1951 and rule made there under,” the letter stated.
The letter added: “The State Cabinet discussed the matter in its XXXth meeting dated 18-01-2007 and resoled to recommend to the Government of India to make there under necessary amendment in the Representation of People Act 1951 and rules made there under and provide 12 per cent reservation of seats for the Scheduled Tribes and 19 per cent seats for the OBC of the state.”
That’s not all. Again on November 29, 2010, Joint Secretary & Director of Social Welfare, N B Narvekar had written a letter to the Additional Secretary, Legislative Department, New Delhi on the issue of reservations for Scheduled Tribes and OBC communities in the State Legislative Assembly.
Narvekar drew attention of New Delhi to the department’s letter dated 14th September, 2009 and subsequent reminder dated January 21, 2010 on the issue of political reservations and intimate the action taken by the Legislative Department in respect of reservation of seats for ST and OBC of the State in the Legislative Assembly of Goa, as no communication has been received in this regards so far.
In fact, Navekar informed the Additional Secretary, Legislative department, New Delhi to the letter received by the Tribal Association requesting the State government to convey the present status report on the subject before December 15, 2010 failing which they will resort to Goa bandh.
