ROOM FOR THE ORIGINAL GOANS

Goa's unheralded tribal communities see a long struggle for political reservations bear fruit

- By Dhaval S. Kulkarni

IT WAS PROVING A TOUCH INJURIOUS for the BJP to be holding out, as it had for over a decade. Conversely, it was also deemed safe enough and advantageous to concede—the demographic patterns are such. Thus comes about a resolution to the long-pending Adivasi demand for political quotas in Goa.

The Parliament has approved a tongue-twister of a legislation—the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024—to accomplish that. It awaits an enumeration by the census commissioner. Based on the population, the Election Commission will make amendments to the delimitation order to provide for the reservation of seats in the state assembly.

ONE IN TEN GOANS