PANJIM: The BJP and the government have outrightly shot down Calangute MLA Michael Lobo’s assertions to the Banajara community promising them the status of Scheduled Tribes.
Tribal Welfare minister Govind Gaude minced no words. “It is an immature statement. He doesn’t know anything about the Constitution. How is it possible? It is not in hands of the Goa government,” Gaude said, reacting to a video being circulated on social media, which shows Lobo promising ST status to the Banjara community.
Gaude said that the Dhangar community of Goa, that deserves the ST status, has been making attempts at getting it for long. “They are deprived from getting the status, and they are people from Goa,” the Minister said. He added, “He (Lobo) is not an ordinary MLA, he is the Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. What kind of statements are these?”
He said the matter does not come under his department and that he has spoken to the Social Welfare Minister on the matter. “It is a foolish statement. It is a matter of the sentiments of the ST community, making of such statement is not tolerable,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile the BJP has said that such status is not possible.
BJP State unit president and Rajya Sabha Member Vinay Tendulkar said the party has not received any representation from the Banjara Samaj in Goa on this. He said giving them ST status is not possible and it is not in the hands of the Goa government.
Tendulkar said, “It must be his (Lobo’s) personal view. It is not easy to do that. Even after consistently following up the matter of the Dhangar Samaj for ST status it is not happening and how is this possible?”
The Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has been embroiled in controversy after promising this status at function organised by the Banjara Samaj in Mapusa last week, where he was chief guest.
He had gone on to say that the Banjara community is helping push Goa’s economy and that they have contributed to the infrastructure of the State.
