NT Reporter
Ponda
Priol BJP MLA Govind Gaude on Friday urged the Goa and Union governments to expedite the process of securing political reservation for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community in
Goa, stressing the need for timely legal intervention to ensure representation before the 2027 Assembly elections.
Speaking to the media after inaugurating the renovated Village Panchayat Library at Savoi-Verem, under the Verem-Vaghurme panchayat, Gaude said that both governments must take concrete steps to challenge the stay order before the Supreme Court (SC) and pursue the matter through the appropriate legal process.
“Nearly 23 years of struggle, sacrifices and sustained efforts by the ST community should not go in vain,” said Gaude, adding that there was growing disappointment and resentment among community members over the delay.
The government still had an opportunity to approach the SC through an appropriate appeal or application to seek the vacation of the stay order, he said.
Recalling the sacrifices made during the 23-year-long movement, including the loss of two young
lives, Gaude said that the aspirations and sentiments of the ST community must
be respected.
“Political reservation is not merely a demand for representation but a matter of constitutional rights and social justice,” he said.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, Gaude said that the coming period was crucial and that the government must demonstrate the political will to move the matter forward.
