Prominent Scheduled Tribe (ST) leaders within the Goa Forward Party (GFP) came out strongly in support of party president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating a campaign to silence him for raising critical questions about the state of democracy in Goa.
Senior ST leader Datta Gaonkar backed Sardesai’s recent criticism of the Goa Assembly Speaker’s neutrality, referring specifically to the Speaker’s presence at a BJP strategy meeting. “How can democracy survive if the Speaker, who is supposed to be neutral, participates in partisan meetings? This feels like an undeclared emergency,” Gaonkar said. He also issued a warning to the ruling party: “File all the complaints you want—our support for our leader will not waver.”
Gaonkar credited Sardesai for championing issues concerning the ST community, particularly his campaign for ST reservations in the Goa Legislative Assembly. “The personal attacks by BJP leaders reflect frustration, not strength,” he added.
Echoing those sentiments, Nimesia Faleiro, a Margao Municipal Councillor and a prominent young ST voice, said Sardesai continues to enjoy strong support among the people, including the ST community. “He has won three consecutive elections because people trust his work. Questioning the government is part of democracy. Filing cases against him won’t shut him up,” she asserted.
Anthony Colaco, recently appointed GFP Navelim Block President, criticised the Speaker’s role with a football analogy: “If the referee joins one team at halftime, impartiality is lost.” He credited Sardesai with empowering tribal voices within the GFP and keeping them central to the political discourse.
The GFP’s ST wing presented a united and defiant front, reinforcing confidence in Sardesai’s leadership and accusing the BJP of using institutional power to stifle democratic opposition.