SHILLONG: In an interaction to generate ideas for empowerment, the challenges being faced by the tribes of Goa and Meghalaya were exchanged in a meeting held in Goa and participated by John F Kharshiing, the spokesperson of the traditional institutions on December 18.
The meeting was held at Panaji, Goa, organized by Anant S. Shivoikar, Chairperson, Goa Commission for SC and ST in presence of Ramesh Tawadkar, Minister, in charge Tribal Welfare, Sports, Government of Goa, Kharshiing, Co-Chairman, Meghalaya State Planning Board, the Director, Directorate of Tribal Welfare, Government of Goa, and other tribal leaders from different parts of Goa.
They agreed to work together to connect with each other to jointly demand for amendment of Article 338 and for Charter of Tribal Rights including ensuring that the issues of the tribes in various states are settled in a time bound manner by the various Union Ministries.
They explained that the tribes of India were denied their voice when the constitutional provisions under Article 338 and 338A were toothless, as can be seen when many reports of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission submitted to the President are yet to be placed before Parliament as per Article 338 clause 5(d); clause 6; and clause 7.
Hence there is a serious violation of Article 338 clause 9; by a number of states, and Union Ministry has undermined the Constitutional safeguard provided in the Constitution, the meeting felt.
The meeting resolved to continue dialogue and joint efforts in seeking the crucial amendments of Article 338 ironically recommended by the combined SC and ST Commission way back during 1997-1998 wherein it states that ‘reports of the commission should be placed before each house of Parliament within three months of its submission to the President and the action taken report placed before the Parliament within six months of its submission”.
This can be done by suitably amending the clauses of Article 338.
The meeting also decided to jointly take up the cause of the tribes of Goa at the National level, including other issues of the tribes in other parts of India.
The meeting also resolved to follow up on the recommendation of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution relating to the reservation of jobs for SC & ST on “vacancy basis”, and for the need to urge the Centre to constitute a National Tribal Advisory Council.
