Goa Congress demands ethnic Goans reservation on lines of Maratha community

Opposition Congress in Goa Monday demanded reservation in government jobs for 'Niz Goenkars' or ethnic Goans, on lines with the quota allotted to the Maratha community in neighbouring Maharashtra. Claiming "demographic changes" in the coastal state, the Congress also sought scrapping of a clause prescribing minimum 15-year domicile as an eligibility condition for government jobs.

Goa Congress spokesman Agnelo Fernandes said even non-Goans can easily meet this criterion and produce domicile certificates. "The clause of 15-year domicile certificate should be scrapped because even non-Goans are producing certificates to be eligible (for government jobs). If we don't stop all this, there will be a day when you will not see a Goan in Goa," the former MLA added.

He said those Goans whose forefathers hailed from the coastal state should only qualify under the 'Niz-Goenkar' category. "If the BJP government in Maharashtra can provide reservation for the Maratha community then why can't the Goa dispensation do it for Niz Goenkars?" asked Fernandes.

The BJP heads the coalition government in Goa, which also comprises the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and three Independent MLAs. It is the duty of the state government to protect the "welfare of each ethnic Goan who is succumbing to demographic changes in the state", he added.

The BJP-led Maharashtra government recently granted a 16 per cent quota in government jobs and education to Marathas under a special category classifying them as a socially and educationally backward class.

(With inputs from agencies.)