Panaji: Congress on Saturday promised the Schedule Tribe community of Goa to provide political reservation, along with settling Forest Right Act claims after they form government at centre.
Goa desk In charge of Congress Manikrao Thackeray on Saturday addressed a press conference in Congress House and alleged that BJP has only used Schedule Tribe community for political gain.
GPCC President Amit Patkar, Congress ST department chairman Ramkrishna Jalmi, GPCC General Secretary & ST leader Joseph Vaz and others were present.
“Our country has noticed how BJP insulted President Droupadi Murmu by not inviting her for the inauguration of the new parliament building. Even while conferring Bharat Ratna to L K Advaniji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained seated, while the President was standing. Modi failed to respect them both,” He said.
Thackeray said that the BJP government failed to give justice to the ST community. “Their agenda is anti ST. BJP used ST community for political gain, but never fulfilled their demand of political reservation and others. We will give priority to this issue and resolve it,” Thackeray said.
Thackeray said that ST community leaders should get the opportunity to become Chief Minister of Goa. “We are supporting it,” he said.
“After we form the government at centre and in Goa we will resolve issues of the ST community. We will see that funds allocated in the budget is used for their welfare,” he said.
Amit Patkar alleged that BJP failed to give political reservation to ST. “BJP has used ST Samaj for politics and neglected their issues. Last two years they have been agitating to get reservations and we have supported them,” Patkar said.
He promised that Schedule Tribe areas will be notified after Congress forms government.
“We will establish a National mission for the Forest Right Act. Settlement of all pending FRA claims will be done within one year and rejected claims will be settled within six months,” Patkar said, adding 9500 cases are pending in Goa.
Ramkrishna Jalmi said that BJP failed to address their issues and give political reservation to Schedule Tribe.
