MARGAO
The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan has on Sunday underscored the need to set up the Goa State Minorities Commission and make it operational at the earliest by choosing a committee of five prominent personalities from the minority community.
Lamenting that the State of Goa has not yet established the Goa State Minorities Commission, GRLA President Kennedy Afonso said “while the Goa State Minorities Commission was passed in 2012 to establish such a commission, it has not been implemented. Goa has the Legislation in place for a Minority Commission, but till date it has not been operational. The Minority Commission in order to be operational requires a Committee of 5 people from the Minority communities. The Goa State Govt has kept this in Abeyance since 2012, despite knowing that the Minority Communities are having s lots of issues that could be addressed through this Minorities Commission, he said.
He added: “For the Minorities, the Constitution of India, has envisaged a number of rights and safeguards. To provide equality, and to reduce the discrimination, various rights have been spelt out in Fundamental Rights ( part III) and Direct principles of State Policy ( part IV), and also Fundamental Duties ( IV-A)”.
Saying that the state has a considerable number of well qualified, and more than 26% Christian and Muslim population, he said “sadly not even two per cent of its educated class are employed in the govt of Goa. This could be addressed through this Commission”.
The other important social issue affecting the Minorities, he said is that it has been denied it’s fundamental right to protect its language and Romi Konknni script as the government is neither giving it equal status along with Devanagri in the Official language Act, nor is the government even allowing Romi Konknni to be taught in the schools of Goa.
