Staff Reporter
Margao
President of United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) Prakash Velip on Tuesday pledged full support to Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, stating that his recent comments about corruption in the Tribal Department were not directed at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Tribal Ministry portfolio. “The minister’s intentions were not to cast aspersions on the Chief Minister. He aimed to highlight the delays caused by the Tribal Department officials in addressing proposals related to the tribal community, including the much-anticipated Tribal Bhavan. Unfortunately, his statements made during the May 25 Prerna Din observed at Ponda were misconstrued and misinterpreted,” Velip said.
He said Gaude has made significant contributions to the tribal community.
“He even faced jail. He must have witnessed incidents where officials from the Tribal Department stalled progress on the Tribal Bhavan, despite the foundation stone being laid two years ago,” Velip said.
He said that whenever they submitted resolutions on behalf of UTAA to the Chief Minister, who is also the Tribal Welfare Minister, the former director of the Tribal Department has questioned them about bypassing protocol and directly approaching the Chief Minister. “Such conduct from tribal officials is bound to incite frustration among individuals,” he said.
Velip said that UTAA members met the Chief Minister at his Sankhali residence on Tuesday to explain Gaude’s remarks.
“We narrated the incident to the Chief Minister and BJP party leaders, and the Chief Minister was convinced. Gaude is currently out of station. He is a responsible individual. It would be appropriate if these leaders heard him as well,” he said.
He also said the Chief Minister has consistently supported tribal causes.
“We expressed our appreciation for him during our last event,” Velip said. In response to media queries, Velip and other UTAA members placed the blame squarely on officials from the Tribal Department and not on the Chief Minister.
