Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj (AGKMS) has opposed the implementation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) political reservation in the Goa Legislative Assembly without a fresh Census, questioning the basis for relying on population figures recorded decades ago.
Reacting to the Central government’s notification on ST political reservation in Goa, AGKMS president Suhas Fal Dessai said the decision had caused resentment within the Maratha community. The organisation maintained that a fresh demographic assessment should precede any decision on reservation.
The Samaj particularly questioned the use of the 2001 Census, pointing out that the community was officially accorded ST status only in 2003. It argued that the population classification recorded during the 2001 Census could not accurately reflect the present ST population.
AGKMS said it was seeking a transparent process based on updated population data and alleged that the government had proceeded without adequately addressing concerns raised by the Maratha community and other non-ST voters.
Fal Dessai said the organisation had already placed four demands before the government. These include postponing political reservation until a fresh Census is completed, publishing caste-wise Census data, making constituency-wise ST voter figures available, and carrying out delimitation followed by rotational reservation based on the actual ST population.
He also questioned why the government could not have considered political representation for members of the ST community through candidates contesting from multiple constituencies instead of proceeding with reservation without updated Census figures.
The AGKMS president recalled the contribution of the Maratha community during Goa’s Liberation and alleged that the community’s concerns had been overlooked by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Goa.
He also warned that political leaders from the Maratha community who supported the decision would be held accountable, while stating that the BJP would face political consequences over the issue.
A meeting of the AGKMS Core Committee was held at the Porvorim Sankul following the government notification. Members discussed the reservation issue and deliberated on the organisation’s next course of action.
The Samaj said it would continue opposing the implementation of ST political reservation until updated Census data is available and indicated that further decisions would be taken after consultations with its members and supporters.
