HOME EMPOWERING THE UNDER-PRIVILEGED -------------------------------------------------- |
IN DEPTH |
STRAY THOUGHTS By Rajan Narayan QUEPEM FARMER BEING DRIVEN TO SUICIDE -------------------------------------------------- |
IN FOCUS LIBERATED, BUT NOT FREE By Agnelo Rodrigues -------------------------------------------------- |
INTROSPECTION |
TONGUE-IN-CHEEK By Aravind Bhatikar PARRITLERS’ TRAVAILS CATS ENTER GOAPUT POLITICS -------------------------------------------------- |
EDUCATION DAZZLES TO DECEIVE By A Special Correspondent. -------------------------------------------------- |
EATING IS FUN A variety food column By Tara Narayan THE TASTE OF SHEERVODEO AND CHOON HOME & HEARTH IT’S THE SEASON OF ONAM, RAKSHABANDHAN By Tara Narayan -------------------------------------------------- |
DATING WANTED: WITTY, RICH, INTELLIGENT, NON-SHIPEE … By Jonquil Sudhir -------------------------------------------------- |
FESTIVALS SHRAVAN: CELEBRATING NATURE’S BOUNTY A Goan Observer presentation of India's favourite monsoon month. -------------------------------------------------- |
SPIRITUALITY THE SEVEN LEVELS OF MIRACLES By Deepak Chopra -------------------------------------------------- |
GLOBAL GOAN SAILING ALONG THE LUSOPHONE WORLD By Constantino Hermanns Xavier -------------------------------------------------- |
ONE MAN’S VIEW ASYLUM SEEKERS DEMONISED IN UK By Philip Knightly -------------------------------------------------- |
ON STAGE-OF STAGE BABU: THE VOICE FROM BEHIND By Daniel F DE Souza -------------------------------------------------- |
SPORTSTRACK By Irineu Gonsalves INDIAN HOPES STILL ALIVE -------------------------------------------------- |
GOENKARANCHO AVAZ |
ARCHIVES
|
|
THE GAUDIS, THE Kunbis, the Velips and the Dhangars are the original residents of Goa. This has been acknowledged by historians through the ages. So much so it is even part of contemporary history taught in our schools. The fifth standard textbook prescribed by the state textbook bureau states categorically that these four tribes are the original residents of Goa. It even acknowledges that these tribes account for 30% of the population of the state. The Saraswats who dominate all aspects of life in Goa are as much migrants as the bhaile who keep getting bashed and blamed by the government for every ill that Goa faces. As in the rest of the country and indeed, the rest of the world, the original residents – call them tribals, aboriginals or whatever – have always been marginalized. Similar is the case in Goa. The Gaudis, the Kunbis, the Velips and the Dhangars are the most backward people in Goa. Not socially, but economically. It is a misnomer to call the tribals socially backward. Many of them maybe illiterate but they are closer to nature than the urbanised classes in the State. They also have an innate sense of dignity and independence which is unmatched. The tragedy of the original residents of Goa is that they have been ignored by successive governments since liberation. The even greater tragedy is that they have been let down by their own leaders. Though these groups have had significant representation in the Legislative Assembly at various stages, their leaders have been more pre-occupied with advancing their own economic interests than the interests of the communities they belong to. Till recently, the Gaudis, the Kunbis and the Velips were clubbed with other backward classes. So much so, they had to fight for their due share of reservations with other far more economically and socially forward classes. There has been a growing tendency in Goa as in the rest of the country for the politically influential groups to get themselves reclassified as backward classes. It is only last year that the special status of the tribes of Goa was acknowledged and recognised by the centre. Last year, after a long struggle, the gaudis, the kunbis and the velips, but not the Dhangars, were classified as schedule tribes. But though they have been classified as schedule tribes and the Central government has notified it in the gazette, the State government has been dragging its feet on extending the benefits that are their due in accordance with their new status as schedule tribes. On of the privilege of being reclassified as schedule tribes is that seats in the Legislative Assembly in proportion to the population ought to be reserved for these communities. Since even school textbooks declare that these tribes constitute 30% of the population, correspondingly 30% of the Assembly seats should be reserved for them. Unfortunately, the recognition of these tribes as scheduled tribes came after the census was concluded. And since the Delimitation Commission goes by the census figures, it is unlikely that these tribes will get their due. The BJP, of course, will not pursue the matter as traditionally, the lotus-eaters have been an upper and middle class party and see the genuinely backward classes as hostile to them. But for the Congress, the reservation of 30% of the seats for the tribes could prove to be a major advantage. Unfortunately, the Congress has been equally apathetic about meeting the aspirations of the tribals. The original native residents of Goa are not even able to avail of the concessions and reservations that are their legitimate due. This is because to avail of any of the benefits such as reservations in education institutions and government jobs, they have to go through elaborate, torturous procedures. Given the very high rate of illiteracy among the Gaudis, Kunbis and Velips, they are unable to complete all the paperwork that is necessary. And the leaders of the community whom the Supreme Court refers to as the creamy layer, have a vested interest in keeping them suppressed and denying them their due place under the sun. The issue of empowering the tribals assumes importance in the light of the imminent bye-elections of the Poinguinim constituency. The Velips account for virtually 50% of the electorate. If the Opposition is able to persuade the Velips that the BJP is a ‘casteist’, ‘manuwadi’ party, the challenge of derailing the saffron express would be easier. MOG ASSUM RAJAN NARAYAN
|
||
