SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Scheduled Tribes (ST) leaders on Friday rejected the decision of the Union Cabinet to pass the ST reservation bill in the Parliament and said they will continue their chain hunger strike till their demands are met.
Addressing a press conference, General Secretary of Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes of Goa Rupesh Velip said, “The government has not met our demands but only has shown us hope for the Lok Sabha election. The decision taken by the Union Cabinet will take time which means we will not be able to get political reservation in 2027 Assembly elections. We are not happy with this decision of the government.”
Velip said that earlier also they had made it clear that they did not want adjustment of seats but reservation of seats for ST communities in the existing 40 assembly constituencies.
“We condemn this decision of the government as the community feels that it is only a political stunt to woe the community and not to accord justice. We, therefore, request all community brothers and sisters to not to feel satisfied with this decision and to be cautious on every political move of the government. All need to stay united for this common demand,” he said.
Velip said the prominent ST leaders working on ground across villages has convened a meeting on Sunday, March 10, to discuss the future course of action in line with the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
“Now we have decided that a meeting of village level workers and leaders will be held and in that meeting we will decide our future course of action,” Velip said.
ST leader Rama Kankoknar said, “We had very clearly demanded notification before 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It has been our clear cut stand right from the beginning. Article 82 of the Constitution speaks about readjustment of seats after each census. We are demanding reservation of four seats out of the 40 Assembly constituencies. We have not demanded increasing number of seats.”
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved the proposal of the Ministry of Law and Justice for the introduction of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024 in Parliament.
The ST leaders are sitting on chain hunger strike at Azad Maidan, Panjim to press for their demand of reserving four seats for them in the State Legislative Assembly.
Political reservation group unhappy over the 'approval' of ST reservation bill
MARGAO: 'Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes of Goa' on Friday expressed unhappiness over the ‘Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024’, approved by the Union Cabinet.
Speaking to reporters Adv John Fernandes, along with other office-bearers stated that the Mission shows dissatisfaction on the present move of the government and instead demand before the government to take immediate corrective steps to bring an ordinance.
“Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had given us a clear assurance and had made a statement addressing media, stating that the process to reserve the seats for scheduled tribes in Goa assembly will start before the code of conduct and the delimitation commission will be constituted by giving absolute powers to the election commission of India. Instead of introducing a draft bill, the government could have easily introduced an ordinance instead,” Fernandes said.
He further said that what is approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday was only a draft and has no value. “Hence no process can be started until it is approved by both the Houses of the Parliament. And sadly, Parliament will not be sitting during the tenure of the present government at Centre,” he said. Adv Fernandes added that the Chief Minister had assured that the Delimitation Commission will be appointed prior to the code of conduct of Lok Sabha elections of 2024.
The process to reserve the seats for the ST of Goa in Goa Assembly will start prior to the declaration of the Lok Sabha elections of 2024.
The Mission was expecting an ordinance from the government of India constituting a delimitation commission giving absolute powers to the election commission of India as it was done by the UPA government at centre in 2013, said Fernandes.
Mission informed that the then UPA government had introduced an ordinance; 'The readjustment of representation of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in parliamentary and assembly constituencies ordinance, 2013' constituting one member 'delimitation commission' and further giving absolute powers to the election commission of India.
The Goa was also a part of the said ordinance which was subsequently lapsed due to its non-introduction in Parliament after BJP coming to power in centre in 2014 stated Mission.
Central cabinet has cleared the Bill, it’s not ordinance: CM
PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday clarified that the Central cabinet has approved the ‘Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes Bill, 2024’, which will empower the Census Commissioner to notify the population of STs in Goa.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister said the process for reserving the four seats for the ST community people will be complete before 2027 Assembly elections.
Accusing the Congress of fooling the people on the issue of providing reservation to the ST community people, he said, ''Then Congress government did not even pass the Bill. I challenge the Congress to show one thing that they have done for the scheduled tribe community. It will be better if Congress does not speak about reservation for people belonging to tribal community. They did not give reservation when they were in power.''
The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the decision.
He said the issue was pending for over 20 years but it was during the time of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government that the then CM Manohar Parrikar had given tribal status to Gauda, Kunbi and Velip communities.
He said all these communities had protested in 2005 with 12 demands when the Congress was in power at the Centre as well as in Goa but it did nothing.
In a scathing attack, the opposition Congress Party on Friday alleged that the BJP State leaders were hoodwinking and misguiding Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities over political reservation and termed their fake efforts as another ‘jumla’.
“This is the jumla of this government. The Chief Minister had assured to take all-party delegation to Delhi, but he took only party leaders. This is because they want to hide the facts and misguide people,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar said.
“It is we, INDIA bloc, will give the rights of Schedule Tribe, BJP will only use delay tactics,” Patkar said.
He said that the political reservation process can be done by issuing Ordinance. “In last 24 years BJP ruled the State for 17 years; who had stopped them from working in the interest of ST people and giving them political reservation?” Patkar questioned.
