Scheduled Tribes in Goa namely Gawdas, Kunbis and Velips have been historically exploited by Bamons in Goa. These tribes officially numbering over 1 lakh 60 thousand people consists of 12.5% of Goa’s population are increasingly being pushed to the margins. The reason for this is Brahmanical State structure in India as well as Goa.
Tribes in Goa has been taking initiatives to organize themselves since mid 1970s and they succeeded in getting recognized as Scheduled Tribes nearly 12 years ago amidst very tight opposition from brahmanical agents.
It was a body blow for the brahmanical forces that tribes in Goa succeeded in getting recognition for themselves Scheduled tribes. Politically tribes in Goa emerged as a major force to reckon with in 2000-01 when Bamon Manohar Parrikar was a Chief Minister. He tried his level best to demoralize and discourage tribal movement during his last sting as Chief Minister. His role can be best explained from these extracts of the press release from Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dahngar Federation (GAKUVED) dated 2nd July 2008 “Mr. Manohar Parrikar has never helped and supported the GAKUVED Community. He has only used this community as vote bank to secure his position in Power. In 2000, when Mr. Parrikar was leading the State Government, GAKUVED has arranged a Morcha on 01-03-2000 to demand inclusion of their name in Central list of ST. On 02-03-2000 the delegates of GAKUVED tried to meet Shri Parrikar at Farmagudi to give him the Memorandum, Shri Parrikar expressed, "Bhausaheban mhaka trasan udoilo, vadea vadeani shala kadleo ani." (Dayanand Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa has put me in trouble, for he opened primary schools in different wards of villages providing education). What Shri Parrikar wanted to tell the delegates, readers you judge.
When GAKUVED was struggling to get this community included in the Central List of Scheduled Tribes his government with the help of some of our community members had tried to delete the names of GAKUVED community from the list. When the list was published in Times of India, the GAKUVED members rushed to New Delhi and met Secretary, Tribal Welfare where it was informed that at the instruction of the local BJP government the list have been changed. Then GAKUVED had filed Writ in the Parliament through the then MP Shri Ramakant Angle to include names of GAKUVED community in the Central List. Unfortunately Dhangar community was excluded from the list due to the politics of BJP Government.
In 2003 delegates of GAKUVED met him in his Chamber to inquire about implementation of Tribal Act in the State of Goa. Mr. Parrikar remarked, "Mhaka tumche Gaudea lokancho abhiman dista. Madkai majea mamalea Bhatant tumche gaude lok sogle kam sanginastana kartat and magir Mapusa majea bhatant yeun moino bhor kam kortat." (I am proud of Gawada community. They work in my uncle's plantation at Marcaim and after finishing that work, they work in my plantation at Mapusa without my knowledge for one month). By this remark Mr. Parrikar just wanted to tell that you are good in doing manual work in plantations and must continue doing that without taking education and Mr. Parrikar will continue to enjoy the fruits of free labour for eternity.
This he has proved during his reign as CM by raising tution fees in all the professional colleges and made it economically beyond reach for the general members of the GAKUVED and other backward class to take admissions in professional colleges. Because the general members of the GAKUVED and OBC cannot think of the fees when they are half fed.
In another incident as CM, Mr. Parrikar has manipulated Population Survey of ST community getting drastically reduced figures of Gawadas, Kunbis & Velips as 12% of Goa's population. At the time of conducting population survey, GAKUVED members had objected for the way survey was conducted.”
They put together their strength to successfully political lobbying between Panjim and Delhi inspite of repeated attempts from brahmannical forces to derail their efforts.
Declaration of Gawdas, kunbis, and Velips in Goa as Scheduled tribes put up Brhamanical forces in Goa on high alert. They organised conference in kala academy displacing the word ‘adivasis’ meaning first settlers and introducing the word ‘vanvasi’ meaning forest settlers for tribes.
After that they tried with some success to split tribal organization into number of splinter groups. After that Brahmanical forces tried to brahmanize tribal people. However all this though was moderately successful still was not enough to contain the seeds of dissent amongst tribal people in Goa.
Then another very clever ploy was deployed to bring agitating tribal people into the net of brahmanical forces. Brahmanical forces through their tribal agents took over the leadership of United Tribal Alliance Association (UTAA). UTAA placed 12 demands before the State and started the agitations. Most interesting of these 12 demands was that it excluded implementation of 5 Schedule of the Indian Constitution under Article 244(1) that deals with Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas.
Adivasis or tribal people of Goa are mulnivasis by their DNA. Brahmins are foreigner by DNA. Tribal people whole heartedly supported UTTA with a typical tribal innocence. UTAA aligned itself with BJP. BJP works under the control of Brahmins. With this logic tribal people found themselves agitating under the direction of Brahmins. Tribal people failed to identify their enemy and got trapped, deadly trap. On May 25, 2011 this agitation was given violent twist and two finest young men Dilip Katu Velip and Manguesh Gaonkar was burnt to death in Balli. Dilip’s father Bamtu Velip could not bear the shock of death of his young son and he died on 22nd May 2012 in his village of Morpirla.
Justice Shah was appointed to carry on the investigations on Balli killings after perusing through available evidence. Justice Shah Committee report confirmed that the two young men were burnt to death but could not identify the killers. Those arrested on the charge of killings were set free. No justice was done.
This agitation was a means by which BJP consolidated its vote bank amongst tribal people and ultimately won the 2012 elections. Then Congress government formed committee to solve the demands of UTAA and declared it in state gazette notification. No follow up was ever made on the progress of this committee as very soon the brahmanical Congress government was voted out and Brahmanical BJP government was voted to power.
The million dollar question is that why did UTTA left the question of implementation of 5th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?
5th Schedule of the Constituion provides the following:
(a) Prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or amongst members of the Scheduled Tribes in such areas;
(b) Regulate the allotment of land to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area;
(c) Regulate the carrying on of business as money-lender by persons who lend money to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such areas.
Where ever there are Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Areas are to be identified. Governance is in the form of tribal autonomy. Formation of Tribal Advisory Council of not more than 20 members is a mandatory.
This means that in Goa if Scheduled Areas are declared then immediate ban come on all the open cast iron, manganese and bauxite mines as there is restriction on land use in Scheduled Areas. Mining industry is in hands of Sarawats and bamons. If mining industry has to survive then it is important that tribal people and their leadership had to be in the hands of Bamons. UTAA is one such organization that Bamons has captured. Their leadership is working under the brahmanical tutelage of BJP. In the bargain they have sold their community to the wolves for a position of a ministry of Tribal affairs and Sports Affairs – Ramesh Tawadkar.
Balli agitation and the death of two young men have pushed Goa’s tribal community into the state of confusion, demoralization and a sense of being used. And truly tribal community of Goa has been repeatedly used and abused for the brahmanical agenda.
Brahmanical forces of course are laughing their way to the glory for Goa’s tribal community has pushed into abyss. Those who pushed them into this sitation are also the same ones who have been using and discarding catholics and rest of bhahujan Samaj. They do this in order to continue their rule over mulnivasis.
It is important that all the victims of the brahmanical system must come together under the banner of Bharat Mukti Morcha and join nation side agitation for liberation. In unity is our strength. That’s why Bamons work overtime to keep us divided. After dark tunnel there is a hope, there is light. Bamons cannot rule over us forever. We can make a difference, we can light a torch of freedom, and for the sake of freedom from this Brahmanical tyranny let us light mid-night oil. Hard work of today will make our tomorrow brighter of mulnivasis. Lethargy of today will keep us forever in brahmanical bondage. Our wish to freedom sends across sparks in our hearts, no power on will succeed to subdue our collective might. Join Bharat Mukti Morcha in Goa. This is a message of Goa Liberation Day 2012.
