Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Tribal Affairs Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday strongly condemned activist Rama Kankonkar for allegedly describing him and former MP Adv. Narendra Sawaikar as the “masterminds” behind the deaths of two tribal youths during the 2011 Balli agitation, and demanded that Kankonkar apologise to the United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) and the tribal community.
Addressing a press conference in Canacona, Tawadkar termed the allegation as false and unfortunate, saying it had hurt the sentiments of the tribal community. He questioned Kankonkar’s contribution towards the tribal rights movement and asked what role he had played in securing tribal status, government jobs and welfare schemes for the Gauda, Kunbi and Velip communities.
Referring to the 2011 Balli agitation, Tawadkar said the protest was organised by UTAA, a conglomerate of eight tribal organisations, after repeated demands for tribal rights remained unfulfilled by the then Congress government. He recalled that tribal youths Mangesh Gaonkar and Deelip Velip were martyred during the agitation, while several leaders and activists, including himself, Prakash Velip, Govind Gaude, Mallu Velip and then MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar, faced imprisonment.
Tawadkar said the movement for tribal rights began through GAKUVED in 1997 and culminated in the Gauda, Kunbi and Velip communities receiving Scheduled Tribe status in 2003. He added that UTAA, under the leadership of Prakash Velip, continued the struggle from 2004 with a 12-point charter of demands, eventually leading to the Balli agitation in 2011.
Questioning Kankonkar’s role in the movement, Tawadkar asked where he was when the tribal community was fighting for its rights and whether he had ever visited the families of the two martyrs to pay homage.
Alleging that Kankonkar was working in tandem with the opposition, Tawadkar said the activist should explain his statements to the public instead of making what he described as politically motivated and frivolous allegations.
Demanding an unconditional apology, Tawadkar said Kankonkar should seek forgiveness from UTAA, its leader Prakash Velip and the entire tribal community for his remarks, which he said had caused deep hurt to those associated with the movement.
