Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Gawada, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar (GAKUVED) federation has slammed the BJP ruled, state and central government for opposing the reservation of seats for scheduled tribes in the Goa legislative assembly elections 2022.
The Union and the state governments have opposed the petition in the High Court of Bombay at Goa during the hearing on the matter seeking reservation for scheduled tribes in Goa legislative assembly elections 2022.
The federation stated that it clearly appears that the BJP government at the centre and in the state are not favouring giving constitutional rights to the tribal
community of Goa.
BJP has totally neglected the tribal community of Goa.
GAKUVED condemned this approach of the BJP government at centre and in state and appealed to the members of the scheduled tribe community across Goa not to fall prey to their crocodile tears in upcoming assembly elections by the ruling party, GAKUVED said.
President of the federation advocate Suresh Palkar further stated that Article 332 of the Constitution lays down that the provisions of the Constitution relating to the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the state legislative assembly.
“However, even after granting ST status to Gawada Kunbi and Velip in 2003 the community was deprived of political reservation by the state legislative assembly. As per government records, ST population in Goa is 12 per cent and accordingly giper cent percent reservation in government jobs and allocating funds 12 per cent under Tribal sub-plan,” he added.
He said the delimitation Commission in 2008 failed to reserve seats for ST.
“There was an ordinance issued by the central government in 2013 for reserving seats for ST but the BJP Government when it came to power in 2014, allowed to lapse it. The reservation for SC in assembly is already implemented why not for ST,” he said.
The scheduled tribes of Goa shall get 4-5 seats reserved for assembly elections as per ST population in constituencies.
“Our demand is that Govt. should give reservation in forthcoming 2022 assembly election failing which federation will work against the current BJP
government for its defeat in the assembly election,” he said.
