Team Herald
MARGAO: Tribals from South Goa have accused the United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) of being an unofficial political wing of the BJP party and not an official body that was formed to fight for tribal rights in the State.
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In a message issued in the interest of their community, the tribals listed 12 reasons to support their allegation against the UTAA.
“After the infamous killing of our youth in the 2011 UTAA agitation at Balli, all 12 demands went under carpet after BJP coming to power in 2012,” they stated.
They also recalled the tribals against mining was followed by arrest, torture and fake cases in Sonshi, Caurem etc where the UTAA had given a negative statement.
They pointed out that the UTAA had given a negative statement after the historic Shel-Melauli protest against the IIT project and questioned the ineffectiveness of the UTAA in pushing the government on implementation of reservations or clearing the backlog when it came to government job recruitment.
They further questioned the attitude of UTAA when a MBBS student Sameer Velip in Goa Medical College, Bambolim was assaulted by non-Goan students and had fake cases filed against him even though he was the victim.
They further pointed out that the UTAA is silent on the issue of tribal people opposing the IIT project in Sanguem.
They also hit out at the UTAA for turning a blind eye to the action of the government demarcating virgin tribal lands for new mining leases for the purpose of auctioning.
