Under mounting pressure from tribal lead ers and growing discon tent within its own ranks, the BJP-led government on Sunday moved to reassure Goa’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) community by taking a high-level delegation to New Delhi to press for the implementation of politi cal reservation in the State Assembly. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, accompanied by Union Minister of State Shripad Naik, Tribal Wel fare Minister Ramesh Ta wadkar, Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, BJP State presi dent Damu Naik and Priol MLA Govind Gaude, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek movement on the long-pending issue.
The meeting came days after ST legislators, in cluding BJP MLAs, pub licly stepped up pressure on the party leadership, warning that time was running out to operation alise reservation before the next Assembly elec tions. The unusual show of unity by tribal legislators and community organisations had exposed growing frustration over delays despite Parliament having already passed the legislation and the President having granted assent. Following Sunday’s meeting, Sawant claimed that Shah had responded posi tively to the demand. “Called on Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji in New Delhi today to discuss the implementation of ST Reservation in the Goa Legislative Assem bly. Grateful for his positive assurance and full cooperation in ensuring imple mentation of this important matter for our tribal communities,” Sawant stated in a post on X.
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The Chief Minister’s decision to personally lead the delegation is being viewed as an attempt to address mounting resentment among tribal leaders, who have increasingly questioned why the final notification required to implement the reservation has yet to be issued. Last week, four ST legislators and community representatives met BJP Goa president Damu Naik and urged him to secure immediate intervention from the party’s central leadership. Several leaders had openly expressed dissatis faction over the delay, arguing that the community had waited more than two decades since receiving Scheduled Tribe status in 2003 for meaningful political safeguards. The issue has become politically sensitive for the BJP, which has tradition ally relied on significant support from tribal voters. With Assembly elections approaching, party leaders are keen to avoid the perception that promises made to the community remain unfulfilled.
While the Home Minister’s assurance has provided temporary relief, no time line for the issuance of the notification was announced, leaving tribal organisa tions waiting for concrete action from the Centre. Apart from the ST reservation issue, Sawant also met Union Education Min ister Dharmendra Pradhan and raised concerns related to recruitment at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Goa. According to the Chief Minister, Pradhan assured him that the matter would be addressed at the earliest in the interest of the State. The meeting assumes significance amid recent allegations by local residents that the centrally funded institute has been favouring outsiders in recruitment while operating on land acquired in Cuncolim. Sawant also held discussions with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on railway, infrastructure, IT and telecom projects, including support for the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster at Tuem in Pernem. “Met Hon’ble Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Ji in New Delhi today to dis cuss key railway & infrastructure projects under the Ministry of Railways and IT & telecom initiatives, especially support for Tuem EMC, through the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology for Goa. Grateful for his positive re sponse,” Sawant said.
