Calls for sacking of Dhavalikar bros from Parrikar govt
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The United Tribals Alliance Association (UTAA) on Tuesday demanded sacking of the Dhavalikar brothers from the Parrikar-led government for the publication of a controversial poem “Gaudi” by the Madhavrao Dhavalikar Trust.
Asserting that the poem published in a book ‘Kerichya Devrambha’ has defamed and insulted the entire Scheduled Tribe community, UTAA leader Govind Gawde threatened a revolt by the scheduled tribe communities against the BJP if the Parrikar government fails to meet their demand.
He has served an eight-day deadline on the government to meet its demands, including initiating criminal action against all those connected with the publication of the book. He said the government’s action would show whether the BJP is with the downtrodden or high-class people.
UTAA President Prakash Velip also condemned the objectionable and defamatory poem. He said the publisher should have deleted the objectionable item from the poem. “There was no need to paint the scheduled tribes in bad light. There are many good things and literatures on the Scheduled Tribes which could have been highlighted by the writer and the publisher,” he said, while asserting that the publisher has hurt the sentiments of 12 per cent of Goa’s population.
“There were many in the BJP who had supported the UTAA movement. But, we would like to now see whether they were with the tribals to meet their political ends. Both the Dhavalikar brothers are in the government. We request the Chief Minister to sack both the ministers,” Gawde asserted.
Replying to a question, he said that UTAA will take up the issue with ministers, MLAs and other leaders and also approach the National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes for Justice.
