Even as the Goa government remains steadfast in its assurance to the ST community regarding political reservation, the recent interim stay of the Bombay High Court on the notification estimating Goa’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) population has dealt a devastating, yet entirely predictable, blow to the tribal community’s long-standing battle for political reservation.
For decades, the Gauda, Kunbi, and Velip communities have been offered grand promises of constitutional representation. Yet, as the court halted the process just weeks before the state government’s promised December implementation deadline, the structural betrayal of Goa’s original inhabitants has been laid bare once again.
For years, major political parties have used the community as a predictable vote bank, particularly across South Goa which has close to one lakh ST voters. In my interaction with key grassroot women activists of the ST community across Goa and few prominent leaders while writing this piece, a common sentiment that came across was, "waiting for mainstream political parties to hand over power out of benevolence has resulted in the community remaining trapped in a cycle of empty assurances."
A visibly dejected Rama Kankonkar, a fierce leader of the community claimed, "politicians cross lines to promise the implementation of political reservation before every upcoming elections, only for the process to stall in bureaucratic delay and legal technicalities." He minced no words to state that "mainstream parties treat political reservation as a favor to be traded for votes, rather than what it truly is -- a fundamental right to justice, representation, and dignity."
While there is widespread resentment and a storm is brewing, to my mind, this setback can serve as a catalyst as many leaders expressed. In the last over a decade, Goa has witnessed intense public agitations to protect its environment -- from fighting illegal mega-projects and massive land conversions to protesting ecologically damaging infrastructure through the forests of the Western Ghats.
They were not led by career politicians but were heavily driven, sustained, and protected by indigenous ST population especially it's women community. From the struggles in Cavrem to Cotigao, Netravali to Chimbel, Mirabag to Karapur, against illegal mining to aggressive zoning changes -- ST women have consistently stood as the fiercest guardians of Goa’s land, water, and forests. They have stood fearlessly in front of machines, organized massive Gram Sabha interventions, and successfully challenged corporate land grabs.
The blueprint for political disruption already exists on the ground. Kankonkar agreed that the exact same "organizational networks used to defend the environment can be transformed into a formidable electoral machine."
Instead of begging mainstream parties to allot election tickets, unified tribal forums can independently field dynamic women and youth leaders who have already proven their loyalty to the soil.
'Why not? The ST community accounts for more than 10% of Goa's total population. In key targeted constituencies like Priol, Nuvem, Sanguem, and Quepem, unified tribal voting blocks can decisively dictate electoral outcomes," claimed Kankonkar.
While most of the grassroot leaders are dejected with the top tribal leaders who they say 'have failed the community," they are confident that an independent political front led by the indigenous populations will place "land preservation, environmental justice, and tribal rights at the very center of Goa’s legislative debates,"
The time has come for ST leaders, especially the fiercely capable women and youth who form the backbone of Goa's grassroots struggles to abandon dependence on established mainstream parties, unite under an independent banner, field their own candidates, and become the ultimate disruptors of Goan politics.
However, the time is now. The recent development serves as a clear warning that waiting for the political system to reform itself will only result in further delays. The ST community has the numbers, the constitutional moral authority, and an army of grassroots women and youth leaders who have spent years defending Goa's ecology.
By uniting, fielding independent candidates, and presenting a distinct political alternative, the community can shift from being a sidelined voting demographic to becoming the primary architects of Goa’s political future. The legal setback is not the end of the road but the perfect moment to disrupt the system.
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