Ridicule govt for ignoring them and giving package to mining stakeholders
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Giving a call to leaders to sink their differences and unitedly meet challenges facing the community, a meeting of Scheduled Tribes has accused the Parrikar government for meting out injustice to the community by failing to implement the benefits guaranteed by the Constitution.
Addressing ST leaders from Salcete taluka, tribal leader Govind Gawde said time has come for the community, both Hindus and Christians, to unite for a common good, while highlighting the government’s failure to utilise the tribal sub-plan, declare scheduled areas and fill up backlog of vacancies. “Unless all unite and fight for our rights, the government will not take our demands seriously. We have been asking the government to implement our just and genuine demands, but in vain”, Gawde said.
Saying that the government has been prompt in working out financial package for mining stakeholders, the same government has been dragging its feet over the housing scheme for STs despite making budgetary provision. “The government attributed the delay in implementing the scheme to some technical problems. But we are not convinced that technical problem was the sole reason behind the delay”, he said.
Taking a dig at the authorities for compiling a wrong survey of ST population in Goa, Gawde said the ST youth have now taken up the challenge to prepare a factual report on the ST population. In his address, Rachol Sarpanch Joseph Vaz also underlined the need for unity amongst the Scheduled Tribes in the state to achieve their just demands. “The government has not paid heed to the genuine demands of the STs till date. We will make all attempts to unite the community to secure their future”, he said.
Sarpanch of Davorlim Herculano Niasso, Nuvem Sarpanch Reuben D’Costa, ZP member Maria Miranda, Margao Municipal Councillor Tito Cardozo and others attended the meeting.
Tribal leader Govind Gawde said time has come for the community, both Hindus and Christians, to unite for a common good, while highlighting the govt’s failure to utilise the tribal sub-plan, declare scheduled areas and fill up backlog of vacancies
