ST community in Goa demands political reservation ‘at any cost’

Margao: Cutting across party lines, members of the Scheduled Tribe community gathered at Sanguem on Sunday to reiterate their resolve to secure reservation of assembly constituencies ahead of the 2027 legislative assembly elections.

The gathering, which saw key functionaries and workers from several political parties from across Sanguem constituency, was held to demonstrate their united determination to press the demand for political reservation for STs before the next polls. “We want reservation of seats for STs in the assembly in the 2027 polls at any cost. We will not rest until our demand is met,” a speaker declared at the meeting.

The demand centres on the implementation of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025, which has already received presidential assent and been published in the gazette. However, a separate central govt notification is still required to bring the law into force — and it is this pending step that the ST community is pressing govt to expedite.

Earlier this month, a delegation comprising tribal welfare minister Ramesh Tawadkar, MLAs Govind Gaude, Ganesh Gaonkar and Anton Vaz, and former minister Prakash Velip had met state BJP president Damodar Naik in Margao, urging him to pursue the matter with Centre. Naik had assured the delegation of the party’s unequivocal support for their demand.

At Sunday’s gathering, participants made clear they would not be drawn into debate with those opposing the proposed reservation, fearing it could delay the process. “However, if the reservation doesn’t happen by the 2027 polls, we must get ready to fight for it,” a speaker warned.

Chief minister Pramod Sawant has previously reiterated his commitment to securing political reservation for STs before 2027, and tribal welfare minister Tawadkar has expressed confidence that the central notification would come through well ahead of the polls.