Team Goemkarponn
BICHOLIM: Former Deputy Chief Minister Babu Kavlekar on Monday alleged that the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Dhangar community has not been raised even once in the Goa Legislative Assembly over the past four-and-a-half years.
Addressing a Dhangar community convention organised by the Bicholim Taluka Dhangar Samajonnati Mandal at Kasarpal, Kavlekar expressed disappointment over what he described as the continued neglect of the community’s long-pending demand.
He said the community had believed its demand for ST status was nearing a resolution, but was taken aback when the Centre sent the proposal back to the Goa Government for further action.
Kavlekar said Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant subsequently wrote to the Central Government, presenting the facts related to the Dhangar community and supporting its demand for ST status. However, he claimed that despite this, the matter was never discussed in the Assembly during the last four-and-a-half years.
He alleged that not a single MLA had raised the issue on the floor of the House, adding that had the matter been debated, the Chief Minister would have been compelled to make a statement or provide a response.
Stating that the community continues to have high expectations from the present government, Kavlekar said the Dhangar community has exercised patience so far and would continue to do so. At the same time, he asserted that the struggle for ST status would continue until the demand is fulfilled.
Appealing for unity, he urged members of the Dhangar community to remain united and contribute towards securing justice for the community.
