The United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA) has announced a statewide agitation, including a “Chalo Panaji” rally on Aug. 13, accusing the Goa government of delaying the implementation of political reservation for Scheduled Tribes despite Parliament passing the required legislation and receiving Presidential assent a year ago.
The alliance said it would no longer give the government additional time and would intensify its campaign to secure political reservation for Scheduled Tribes ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, UTAA Chief Prakash Velip said Scheduled Tribe communities have been denied constitutional political reservation through four Assembly elections since 2007.
“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,” Velip said.
The Aug. 13 public meeting in Panaji will coincide with one year since the President gave assent to legislation related to the readjustment of Assembly constituencies for Scheduled Tribe political reservation.
Statewide mobilisation planned
As part of its campaign, UTAA said it will organise awareness meetings in all 750 tribal-dominated waddos across Goa. Leaders said they would visit wards and villages with significant Scheduled Tribe populations to explain what they described as the continued denial of constitutional rights and encourage participation in the movement.
The alliance has also appealed to political parties, youth groups, civil society organisations and democratic institutions to support what it described as a peaceful and constitutional campaign.
According to UTAA’s Working Committee and Interim Executive Council, tribal organisations, Scheduled Tribe MLAs and community leaders have exhausted democratic and constitutional avenues to secure implementation of political reservation. The committee alleged that despite repeated representations and assurances, the government has not fulfilled its constitutional responsibility.
UTAA said its awareness campaign would focus on explaining political reservation under Article 332 of the Constitution and the continued delay in implementing the law.
Leaders question delay
Velip said tribal representatives, accompanied by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, had earlier met Union 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,” he said.
UTAA Interim Council Vice-President Govind Shirodkar alleged that recent developments had increased uncertainty among tribal communities.
“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 said.
National tribal organisation extends support
The agitation has also received backing from Adivasi Samanvay Manch Bharat, which announced its support for the movement.
National Co-ordinator Ashok Choudhary said the organisation would raise Goa’s demand for Scheduled Tribe political reservation at the national level and mobilise tribal organisations from across the country.
Representatives from several states are expected to participate in the Aug. 13 public meeting and protest in Panaji.
The organisation also reiterated support for the demand to declare Scheduled Areas in Goa under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, saying the measure is important for protecting tribal rights, land, culture and governance.
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