Group also seeks memorial in Panaji, stronger tribal welfare schemes, and retention of ST Corporation office in Margao
United Tribal Associations’ Alliance (UTAA GVK) members address the media on Thursday.
MARGAO
The long-pending ST reservation tangle may come back to haunt the ruling BJP.
Even as the government is leaving no stone unturned to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Munda in a big way on November 15, the United Tribal Associations’ Alliance Gawda, Velip, Kunbi (UTAA GVK) has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant give a gift to the Goa Scheduled Tribes by announcing that the government will implement political reservations in the 2027 Assembly election.
That’s not all. UTAA GVK advisor Prakash Velip further said that holding rallies in the name of Birsa Munda will not suffice, even as he demanded that the government erect a befitting memorial in honour of the great tribal leader in Panaji and also unveil schemes for the ST communities to mark the occasion.
Incidentally, UTAA GVK is being headed by Vishwas Gawde with both Prakash Velip and former Sports Minister and BJP MLA Govind Gaude associated with the organisation as members.
Addressing the media to unveil UTAA GVK’s programme on November 15 to mark Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary at the Old Goa Panchayat hall, Velip clarified that UTAA’s meeting is in no way aimed at dividing the ST community. “Let the government holds its programme. We have no issue. As an organisation, however, we are also entitled to organise our own programme to mark the occasion,” he asserted.
Demanding that the Central and Goa government implement the political reservations for the ST community in Goa for the 2027 Assembly election, Velip said both PM Narendra Modi and CM Pramod Sawant can indeed give a big gift to the Goa Scheduled Tribes by announcing a decision on Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary. “The ST Reservation Bill has been passed by both Houses of Parliament. The Bill has received the accent of the President of India. It is now for the government to implement the law in the 2027 Assembly election,” he said.
He added: The Goa Scheduled Tribes has missed political reservations in the last four elections, in 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022 Assembly election. Goa is the only State in the country where the ST community does not enjoy political reservations. Now, when there is a law in place, both the Central and Goa government should not waste time to implement the Act.”
Saying that it would not take more than three months to complete the process to provide political reservations for the ST community in 2027, Velip said, “I reiterate the process can be completed within three months if there is a will.”
Velip also demanded that the Goa government implement the 12-point charter of demands of the ST community in both letter and spirit. “The government has claimed that it is disposing of the forest rights case. But, we have come across instances wherein the tribal people in possession of land, are being allotted less. This has to stop. The government should allot the actual land in possession of the tribal people,” he said.
He also demanded that the government implement the Tribal Sub Plan as per the law in force by implementing all the 26 schemes in force.
On the tribal bhavan, Velip said the government should implement the assurances given to the tribal communities on setting of the tribal bhavan in Porvorim.
Opposing reported moves to shift the Goa ST Corporation office from South Goa housed in the Old Collectorate, Velim said the government should retain the office in Margao, for the benefit of the tribal people, majority of who hail from South Goa.
Velip hints at new ST party, says Goa may soon follow other states
MARGAO: In a development that is expected to raise many an eyebrow in political circles, especially in the ruling BJP camp, leader of the newly-formed United Tribal Associations’ Alliance of Gawda, Velip and Kunbis (UTAA GVK) Prakash Velip on Thursday has not ruled out the possibility of a new political party espousing the cause of the State’s Scheduled Tribes.
“Why not”, was a terse reply from Prakash Velip when the media sought to know whether there’s a real possibility of the birth of a ST-based political party in Goa. In fact, while addressing the media to unveil UTAA GVK’s programme on Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary on November 15, Prakash Velip said only time will tell when the ST political party will take birth in the State.
Prakash Velip made it plain clear that the ST population is spread in as many as 27 out of the 40 Goa Legislative Assembly constituencies. “We constitute around 12 per cent of the total population of Goa. When we hold any programmes, the ST people, aligned to different political parties attend the programmes. We also bring them together to espouse the cause of the community. May be a formulae may emerge and take the shape of a ST political party. Only time will tell,” he said.
He added: “In every State, we find ST-based political parties, MPs and MLAs elected as ST candidates. This may happen in Goa too. The future and younger generation can think on formation of a ST party. Somewhere we have to make a beginning. We are being approached with queries why there is no ST political party.”
When the media questioned whether there can be a ST political party, Velip shot back “why not. Anyone is free to form a new party. Only time will tell.”
