Speaking to the media, UTAA President Prakash Velip said constituencies which have a tribal population of about 60% should be made scheduled areas and accordingly the constituencies reserved. He said constituencies like Canacona, Sanguem, Quepem, Velim, Nuvem which have the highest population of scheduled tribe population.
should be declared as reserved constituencies.
Velip said the demands made by UTAA are hardly ever fulfilled by the government.
He said tribal minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who is also a UTAA leader and was involved in all movements in the past, is now not even available to discuss tribal issues.
“We have been seeking appointments with him, so we can discuss issues but he is not taking us into confidence since becoming a minister. We don’t have any personal grudge against him,” Velip said.
Former BJP MLA and UTAA leader from Sanguem, Vasudev Meng Gaonkar, said that with BJP governments at both places – state and center – these issues should have been sorted, but unfortunately they have to protest to be heard.
