Leaders of UTAA led by its chief Prakash Velip paid tributes to tribal youths, Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, who lost their lives in the historic May 25, 2011 Balli agitation. Captured by : The Goan
MARGAO
Leaders of the tribal movement from the United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) kept the date with Canacona and remote Morpilla village in South Goa on Friday “ to pay homage and remember the sacrifices of the two tribal youths, Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, who lost their lives in the historic May 25, 2011 agitation called by the organisation at Balli village in support of the 12-point charter of demands of the ST community.
UTAA observes May 25 every year as Prerna Diwas in memory of Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, whose sacrifice paved the way for the realization of the demands of the tribal community. While most of the demands have been met or are in the process of getting resolved by the government, the tribal community looks forward to the government at the Centre and in Goa to resolve the remaining demands, including political reservations for the tribals in the Goa Legislative Assembly, notification of Scheduled Areas and expediting the disposal of the thousands of pending Forest Rights cases.
As Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Tribal Welfare portfolio, is invited as the Chief guest at the 13th Prerna Diwas at Ponda on Saturday, tribals look forward to the government finally resolving the pending issues, more so the political reservations for the ST community which had taken the centre stage at the recently held Lok Sabha polls.
Says UTAA Chief Prakash Velip: “We have today paid our homage to both Mangesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, who had sacrificed their lives for the ST movement. These two youngsters lost their lives while participating in the historic May 25, 2011 agitation at Balli village. They became martyrs for the cause of the ST community. It’s because of these two youngsters and the thousands of tribals, who had to struggle on the streets, that the government of the day was left with no option than to implement the just and genuine demands of the tribal people.”
He added: “Both Manguesh and Dilip are now an inspiration for the thousands of tribal youth spread across the state to take the movement to the logical conclusion."
While saying that many a tribal demand was met after the May 25, 2011 agitation, the UTAA chief has expressed the hope that the demand of political reservations will soon be met post-election. “The Union Cabinet has approved the Bill to form the Commission in order to reserve the four seats of the Goa Legislative Assembly for the tribal people. We are confident that the Bill will be brought in parliament at the earliest,” he said.
With both the BJP and the INDIA bloc wooing the ST community in the run-up to the May 7 Lok Sabha election with promises to kick-start the process for the political reservations, Velip said, “Both the major parties and blocs have vowed to pass the Bill in Parliament to meet the demand of political reservations. We are confident that our demand will be finally realized.”
He took the opportunity to thank the people of Goa, besides political parties of all hues for supporting the "just demand" of the ST community for political reservations. “There’s not a single person or political party which had opposed our 12-point charter of demands or the demand for political reservations. UTAA thanks the people of Goa for their continuous support to the just and genuine cause of the tribals,” he added.
