MARGAO
With the BJP government "dragging its feet" on notifying the process to implement political reservations for the Scheduled Tribes, the United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) on Monday decided to return to the streets as the organisation sounded the agitation bugle in support of its long-pending demand.
Announcing a mega “Chalo Panaji” rally on August 13, tribal leaders warned the BJP government not to take the ST communities for granted, saying it would have to face the consequences.
Uniting under the banner of UTAA, tribal leaders announced the launch of an agitation in support of their demand, saying no more deadlines will be given to the government to meet it.
As part of the agitation, the tribal communities will hold a massive assembly on August 13 to mark one year since the President gave assent to the Bill passed by Parliament last year.
UTAA has further decided to organise meetings in all 750 waddos spread across villages to mobilise the ST communities for the proposed agitation. UTAA leaders have appealed to political parties as well as the youth to support the agitation of the Scheduled Tribes in support of their just and constitutional rights.
Addressing the media, UTAA Chief Prakash Velip cautioned that the ST communities have already missed four Assembly elections since 2007 without getting the constitutional benefit of political reservations. “The tribal communities have vowed to fight the battle to secure political reservations in 2027 at any cost. There will be no compromise on this demand,” he said.
Velip said the ST leaders will go to each and every ward inhabited by STs to create awareness about the denial of their constitutional rights and encourage people to join the agitation.
The Working Committee/Interim Executive Council of the United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) pointed out that every possible democratic and constitutional effort has been made by tribal organisations, elected Scheduled Tribe MLAs and community leaders to secure the implementation of political reservation in the Goa Legislative Assembly. Despite these sincere efforts, the government has failed to fulfil its constitutional responsibility, the panel lamented.
The Committee further pointed out that UTAA has resolved to launch a statewide mass awareness and public mobilisation campaign across all Scheduled Tribe-dominated Assembly constituencies. Awareness meetings will be organised at the ward and village levels to educate community members about the constitutional right to political reservation under Article 332 and the continued injustice caused by the government's failure to implement the notified law.
As the government has failed to act despite repeated representations and assurances, UTAA has been compelled to intensify its democratic movement.
UTAA has issued an appeal to every Scheduled Tribe citizen, democratic institution, civil society organisation and all those who believe in constitutional values to extend their support to this peaceful and democratic movement for justice.
“Tribal leaders, along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, had called on Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue. The Union Minister gave an assurance that the law would be enforced, but the notification has still not been issued. The Act is in force, but the process is not moving forward,” Velip said.
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CM's body language sends wrong signals: Tribal leader
MARGAO: Vice-President of the UTAA Interim Council Govind Shirodkar said the Chief Minister’s body language has only raised doubts among the tribal communities as to whether Sawant has come under pressure.
“The government will see an unprecedented agitation if the law is not implemented immediately. For the last 23 years, the STs have been taken for granted. Every time we called on the Chief Minister with our demand, he assured us that the law on reservations would be implemented. However, of late, the Chief Minister’s body language has only raised doubts among the tribal communities over the government’s intentions,” Shirodkar added.
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National tribal body backs Goa's ST reservation stir
MARGAO: In a significant development, the Adivasi Samanvay Manch Bharat has extended national support to the political reservation movement launched by the Scheduled Tribes in Goa.
Expressing complete solidarity with the tribal people of Goa, Adivasi Samanvay Manch Bharat announced its full support for the proposed democratic agitation.
National Co-ordinator Ashok Choudhary said the organisation would raise the issue of Goa’s political reservation at the national level and mobilise support from tribal organisations across the country. Representatives from various states are also expected to participate in the public meeting and protest in Panaji on August 13, 2026, thereby transforming the movement into a national campaign for the constitutional rights of the Scheduled Tribes of Goa.
The national leadership reiterated that the constitutional aspirations of the Scheduled Tribes cannot be kept pending indefinitely and assured that Adivasi Samanvay Manch Bharat would stand shoulder to shoulder with the tribal people of Goa until these long-pending constitutional demands are fulfilled.
During the meeting in Goa, the leadership was apprised of the prolonged delay in the implementation of political reservation for Scheduled Tribes under Article 332 of the Constitution of India, despite the enactment of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in the Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025. Discussions were also held on the long-pending demand for the declaration of Scheduled Areas in Goa under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which is essential for safeguarding the rights, land, culture and governance of the tribal communities.
