Hours after stating that the Scheduled Tribes (STs) can not get reservation in the Goa assembly due to their small population, Union social justice minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday withdrew the statement and apologised.
Various tribal organizations under the banner of `Mission of Reservation for ST Community' have been demanding reservation for STs in four out of 40 assembly seats in the state. The assembly had also passed a resolution demanding reservation for the STs in the monsoon session.
“It is not possible to give reservation to the ST community in Goa assembly as their percentage in the population is very small,” Athawale said while replying to a question at a press conference here.
It immediately drew a backlash.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai said the statement was “shocking” and “improbable' and noted that the assembly had unanimously requested the Goa government to take steps to persuade the Government of India to implement ST quota.
Representatives of `Mission of Reservation for ST Community' too said the Union minister's statement was condemnable.
ST community activist Rama Kankonkar said tribals account for 12 per cent of Goa's population, enough for reservation in four assembly constituencies.
Speaking to reporters in the evening, Athawale said he was unaware of the facts. “I did not know that the population of the ST community in Goa is 12 percent. I also did not know that chief minister Pramod Sawant had assured in the assembly that the reservation would be given,” he said.
“I withdraw my statement and apologise to the people,” the minister said.
Earlier in the day, Athawale, himself a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra, met Sawant over various demands including increase in the reservation in jobs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the coastal state.
Published 10 October 2023, 20:13 IST