BJP not doing enough to uplift tribals: RG

Panaji: Revolutionary Goans on Saturday blamed BJP-led govt for not doing enough to uplift the tribals in the state. The party said that chief minister Pramod Sawant, despite holding the post for six years, failed to clear the pending cases of forest rights claims (FRC).RG treasurer Ajay Kholkar said that govt gave several assurances, but denied political reservation for Goa’s tribal community. “The community has been fighting for political resolution. We have held protests to fight for our rights, and govt forced us to come on the streets, and yet BJP-led govt has not met our demand,” said Kholkar.RG said that contrary to Sawant’s claims about working for the betterment of the tribals, BJP thwarted efforts to empower the ST community. “It failed to resolve pending FRC cases. Govt has not built the Tribal Bhavan and failed to address land issues. The Tribal Research Centre exists only in name, as no research has been conducted there till date,” said Kholkar.The party has demanded that all the 10,000-odd pending FRC cases be cleared as soon as possible. It has also demanded that govt appoint a full-time company secretary for the Goa Scheduled Tribe Finance and Development Corporation Ltd.