NT NETWORK
Panaji
Gawade, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar (GAKUVED) federating, representing tribal community, on Thursday demanded the resignation of chairperson of the Goa Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Ramesh Tawadkar for violating clause 17 of chapter V of the Goa Commission for SC/ST Act, 2010 by holding a press conference under the banner of Bharatiya
Janata Party.
Addressing media persons, GAKUVED general secretary Rupesh Velip said that the chairperson and employees of this particular commission are deemed to be public servants under Section 21 of Indian Penal Code 1860.
“The post of chairperson of SC/ST commission is a constitutional post and possess powers of civil court judge and being public servant Tawadkar cannot hold a press conference under the banner of any political party,” he said.
Velip also said that Tawadkar has been convicted by the court for issuing a threat to one ST community member Puno Velip from Canacona, which violates Section 4(b) of chapter II of the act.
“Hence, GAKUVED demands that Tawadkar should resign and vacate the post of chairperson of Goa Commission for SC/ST,” he said.
Advisor of the federation Suresh Palkar said that if Tawadkar fails to resign, he will write to the Governor of Goa and also file public interest litigation in the court seeking his removal from the constitutional post.
He also slammed the commission for not taking action in the matter of Lata Gaonkar from Sattari, who is specially challenged anganwadi worker, who was transferred to Quepem.
Palkar further said that the villagers of Melauli in Sattari taluka are occupants of the land where the government has proposed to set up the IIT project.
“But the government has purposely deleted their names from the occupant column when computerised I & XIV form were generated,” he alleged.
Member of the federation Rama Kankonkar questioned the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant whether he has done some setting for land deals while shifting the site for IIT campus from Sanguem to Melauli village of Sattari.
GAKUVED also slammed the Chief Minister for accusing Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar of making land deals for IIT project.
The federation said that the Chief Minister Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane should tell the public what setting they have done with IIT as they are not scrapping the project at Melauli even after strong opposition from the villagers.
