MARGAO
The tribal community has upped the ante in support of the long-pending demand for political reservations for the community.
The various ST organisations of Goa, ST clubs, prominent leaders of the tribal community, and political leaders will come together to hold a rally under the banner of “Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes of Goa” on Goa Revolution Day at Quepem on June 18 to demand political reservation in Assembly and Parliament for Scheduled Tribes of Goa.
Addressing the media, President of the Mission Adv John Fernandes said the non-cooperative movement to demand political reservation will start from Goa Revolution Day and it will be intensified in every taluka of the State.
He recalled that the ST status was given to the three communities Gawada, Kunbi Velip and Dhangar in 2003.
“The government and the Election Commission of India should have implemented reservation in 2007 based on census data 2001, but it was denied to us. Later, in the 2012 assembly election also it was denied,” he said.
He added: “Further on August 22, 2013, the president of India promulgated ordinance by the name 'readjustment and reorientation of scheduled caste and scheduled tribes in parliamentary and assembly constituencies (second) ordinance 2013'. Based on the said ordinance the Election Commission of India had started the process to grant political reservation to Scheduled Tribes of Goa but it was allowed to lapse by the State government and to date, the Election Commission has failed to notify its order.”
He further claimed that the Supreme Court in a writ petition filed in 2007 by the All Goa State Action committee of scheduled tribes, through its convenor Antonio Gaunkar had given direction to the Election Commission to consider and decide on the representation given in 2006 by the petitioner within eight months, but the tribal community has not been given the Constitutional right till date.
To a question, he said the tribal community is demanding that the Election Commission of India notify political reservation for Scheduled Tribes of Goa in Assembly and the Parliament while appealing to the members of Gawada, Kunbi & Velip communities of Goa to attend a peaceful mass rally in large numbers followed by a public meeting on June 18 at Quepem at 4.30 pm.
