Team Herald
PONDA: The Scheduled Tribes (ST) leaders on Sunday served a ten-day ultimatum on the government to either scrap or shift the proposed IIT project out of Melauli failing which they threatened to launch a massive State-wide agitation soon with support of 20 ST organisations.
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They have called upon the ST, OBC leaders and ministers to raise voice against the police atrocities.
Goycho Kul Mundkaracho Awaj (GKMA) and Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) Association held a meeting at Zareshwall Hall, Ponda to support the Melauli villagers’ agitation against IIT project and condemned the police atrocities on the women and lathi charge on Melauli villagers who have been agitating peacefully.
The ST leaders demanded that an FIR be registered against PI Sagar Ekoskar and that he be terminated from service for stomping on an elderly woman.
They further demanded the FIR filed against the Melauli locals be withdrawn immediately.
The ST leaders said they had complained to National ST Commission, President of India and Vice President of India of the atrocities against Melauli locals and demanded action against PI Ekoskar.
GKMA convenor Ramkrishna Zalmi said, “The villagers for the past 60 years are cultivating the land and are totally dependent on it for livelihood. The agitating locals are starving for the past six months and hence the land should be handed over to them according to the Tenancy Act.”
He demanded that the ST, UTTA and OBC leaders including Tribal Minister Govind Gaude should fight for delivering justice to Melaulim villagers. He criticized ST Commissioner Ramesh Tavadkar for failing to take suo moto action against PI Sagar Ekoskar.
The leaders at the meeting also decided to create awareness in each taluka with regards to atrocities on Melauli women and threatened to launch a massive State-wide agitation soon.
GKDVF vice president Uday Gaonkar, Premanand Gaude, Ramesh Velip, Raju Bhagat, and Hari Gawade also spoke.
ST leaders and farmers from across the State were present for the meeting.
