A delegation of Scheduled Tribes (ST) representatives, including tribal welfare minister Ramesh Tawadkar, MLAs Govind Gaude, Ganesh Gaonkar, Anton Vaz, and former minister Prakash Velip, met state BJP president Damodar Naik in Margao on Wednesday. They urged Naik to press the central government for the early implementation of political reservation for STs in the Goa legislative assembly, more than six months after the enabling law received presidential assent.
Delegation seeks central notification
The delegation requested Naik’s intervention to expedite the central government notification required to bring the law into force. The law, which provides for political reservation for STs, has already been passed and received presidential assent, but the final step of notification by the Union government is pending.
BJP's unequivocal support
Assuring the delegation of the party’s support, Naik stated that the BJP’s stand on the issue was unequivocal. “BJP’s stand is clear — STs should get political reservation,” he said. Naik further informed that the BJP core committee had recently passed a resolution to send a delegation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to pursue the demand. “This meeting with Shah will happen soon...this month,” he added.
United stand of ST community
Tawadkar highlighted that the delegation’s meeting with Naik reflected a united stand by the ST community on the issue. “Political reservation for STs is a long-pending demand. The President has already assented to the bill and it has become law. The only step remaining is the central government notification for its implementation,” he said. The delegation expressed hope that the BJP leadership would ensure early action, fulfilling the aspirations of the tribal community in Goa.
