Daijiworld Media Network - Margao
Margao, Nov 7: The United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) has warned that the tribal community will work towards bringing about a change in government in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections if its demand for constitutional rights, including political reservation, is not fulfilled.
Addressing an awareness meeting at Balli on Friday, UTAA chief Prakash Velip said the community would take a stand similar to the one it took in 2012 if the government failed to secure political representation for Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Velip cautioned that the existing reservation benefits enjoyed by ST communities, including reservations in panchayats, Zilla Panchayats, government jobs and promotions, could also be at risk if the community failed to unite and fight for political reservation.
Calling upon ST communities across Goa to prepare for another agitation, he described the 2027 Assembly elections as a crucial milestone in the history of the tribal movement in the state.
“Let us all wake up from our slumber and get ready for the battle. The month of November is crucial for our movement demanding political reservation,” he said.
Accusing the state government of failing to effectively present the tribal community's case before the Bombay High Court at Goa, Velip alleged that the government's counsel had not properly argued the matter.
“The government counsel did not present our case. Now the government is saying that we will get justice in the Supreme Court. On what basis is the government assuring us that we will get justice?” he questioned.
He also questioned why the report of the Registrar General of India was not placed before the High Court and demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant explain the omission.
Velip further sought clarification from the Chief Minister over his announcement, made a day before the High Court verdict, that four Assembly constituencies — Quepem, Sanguem, Priol and Nuvem — would be reserved for ST candidates.
“On what basis did the Chief Minister make the public statement that these four seats would be reserved for STs a day before the High Court decision? This remains a mystery,” he said.
Velip added that a UTAA delegation which visited the Goa office of the Election Commission of India was informed that the state government had not forwarded the crucial information regarding the ST population to the Commission in Delhi.
The issue has intensified following the High Court's interim order concerning the notification of Goa's ST population figures, which has affected the process of political reservation ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The state government has since moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, while Chief Minister Sawant has maintained that the government is pursuing legal options to secure reservation before the polls.