Centre rejected long-pending demand: Kavlekar
Margao: Former deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar on Sunday said the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has informed the state that its proposal seeking the inclusion of the Gouly-Dhangar community in the scheduled tribe (ST) category has been rejected.
The rejection has prompted the community to seek the intervention of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant once again to take up matter with the central government.
Following the decision, a large number of community members under the banner of Gomantak Dhangar Samajonatti Mandal led by former deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar held a meeting in Margao to discuss the future course of action.
The state’s proposal did not find favour with the Registrar General of India (RGI), which was communicated to the state government nearly two months back.
Speaking to media persons, Kavlekar said the community has been pursuing ST status for over 23 years, and the state had sent the proposal to the Centre.
Kavlekar approached the Chief Minister after he came to know that the proposal had been rejected.
He said that he had accompanied the Chief Minister to Delhi, where they met the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs.
Kavlekar said there is a miscommunication: the RGI has pointed out that there needs a rectification from the central OBC commission as the Dhangar community still continues to be listed as an OBC, which needs to be corrected.
Kavlekar said the Chief Minister has now written to the Union Tribal Ministry clarifying on the issue saying that the proposal has not been rejected by the RGI.
Kavlekar said after wide discussion the community has decided to seek the intervention of Sawant once again and that Sawant will be urged to lead a delegation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and seek his intervention.
The delegation will also have to meet Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs officials to impress upon them that the proposal has been wrongly rejected and should be reconsidered.
Expressing confidence in the Chief Minister’s efforts, Kavlekar said the community remains hopeful of eventually securing ST status. Dhangar leaders also appealed to ST MLAs and tribal leaders in Goa to extend support to their demand.
Replying to a question if the community would continue to support the BJP in the next Assembly elections, he said the community is strongly with the party and there is a hope that the matter will be resolved.
