The recent disruption in the Indian Parliament during the Monsoon Session of 2025, which prevented the discussion of the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, has sparked outrage and exposed deep-seated political contradictions. This bill, aimed at ensuring reservation for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Goa Legislative Assembly, was a critical step toward addressing the long-standing demand for equitable representation of Goa’s tribal communities. Yet, the Opposition, led by the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies, stalled parliamentary proceedings, effectively sidelining this transformative legislation. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has a history of pushing bills through Parliament with minimal discussion, now faces questions about why Goa’s ST communities are receiving differential treatment.
The Significance of the Goa ST Bill
The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, seeks to amend the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, to provide reservation for STs in Goa’s 40-member Legislative Assembly. As per the 2011 Census, Goa’s ST population stands at 1,49,275, significantly higher than the Scheduled Caste (SC) population of 25,449, yet no seats are currently reserved for STs in the state assembly, while one seat is reserved for SCs. The bill empowers the Census Commissioner to notify the ST population in Goa, enabling the Election Commission to allocate reserved seats, ensuring democratic representation for a community that has been historically underrepresented despite its significant presence.
This legislative proposal is not merely procedural but a matter of constitutional justice, aligning with Article 332, which mandates reservation for STs and SCs in legislative assemblies to ensure their effective participation in governance. For Goa’s tribal communities, who have long demanded four reserved seats, this bill represents a beacon of hope for political empowerment and socio-economic upliftment.
Opposition’s Disruption: A Betrayal of Goa’s STs
On July 24, 2025, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till Friday amid relentless sloganeering and protests by the Opposition, primarily over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar and other issues like the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. This chaos ensured that the Goa ST Bill, listed for discussion and passage, was left undiscussed. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant condemned the Congress and its allies, calling their actions a “direct insult” to the ST communities of Goa. “The ST reservation Bill for Goa, that was about to be tabled in Parliamentary proceedings, was halted, which is why I condemn Congress and its alliance partners… They opposed the ST reservation in the same way last time as well,” Sawant stated in a video shared by ANI.
The Opposition’s focus on issues like Bihar’s voter list revision, while significant, overshadowed the urgent need to address Goa’s ST representation. Congress MP Viriato Fernandes, representing South Goa, ironically accused the BJP of lacking genuine intent in introducing the bill, yet his party’s disruptive tactics ensured that the very legislation he claimed to support could not even be debated. This raises serious questions about the Congress and INDIA bloc’s commitment to the welfare of Goa’s tribal communities. By prioritizing political brinkmanship over constructive dialogue, the Opposition has effectively betrayed the aspirations of Goa’s STs, who have waited decades for political representation.
BJP’s Selective Urgency: A History of Bypassing Debate
While the Opposition’s actions are indefensible, the BJP’s indignation over the stalled discussion invites scrutiny, given its own track record of pushing bills through Parliament with minimal debate. In the past, the ruling party has been criticized for passing significant legislation—such as the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019—with limited discussion, often relying on its numerical strength to bulldoze opposition. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for instance, faced accusations from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of being “bulldozed” through Parliament, a charge the BJP dismissed.
This history makes the BJP’s current stance on the Goa ST Bill perplexing. If the party is capable of expediting contentious bills with little debate, why has it not employed similar tactics to ensure the passage of the Goa ST Bill, which enjoys broad support and addresses a clear constitutional mandate? The ST communities of Goa, already marginalized, are left wondering why their cause is not deemed urgent enough for the same legislative assertiveness. Is it because Goa, with its small population and limited electoral weight, does not command the same political priority as larger states? Or does the BJP’s selective outrage stem from a desire to weaponize the issue to paint the Opposition as anti-tribal?
A Pattern of Neglect: Goa’s STs Caught in Political Crossfire
The failure to discuss the Goa ST Bill is not an isolated incident but appears to be part of a broader pattern of neglect toward Goa’s tribal communities. Despite the significant growth in the ST population, as noted in the 2011 Census, successive governments—both Congress-led and BJP-led—have failed to address their demand for reserved seats. The UPA government, during its tenure, took measures for tribal welfare nationally, as claimed by Congress MP Fernandes, but did little to address the specific issue of ST representation in Goa. Similarly, the BJP, despite its vocal commitment to tribal empowerment, has been slow to deliver on this promise in Goa, with the bill only now being introduced in 2024.
The current parliamentary stalemate only exacerbates this neglect. The Opposition’s disruption, while aimed at holding the government accountable on other fronts, has inadvertently—or perhaps deliberately—sacrificed the interests of Goa’s STs. Meanwhile, the BJP’s inability or unwillingness to prioritize the bill’s passage raises questions about its sincerity. As X posts from Goa-based leaders like Mauvin Godinho and Sneha Bhagwat highlight, the ST communities feel betrayed by the Opposition’s actions, with the latter calling it a “direct insult to the ST Communities of Goa.”
Prioritizing Justice Over Politics
The stalling of the Goa ST Bill is a stark reminder of how political posturing can undermine the cause of marginalized communities. Both the BJP and the Congress-led Opposition share responsibility for this failure. The BJP must answer why it has not used its legislative muscle to ensure the bill’s passage, as it has done with other contentious legislation. The Opposition, particularly the Congress, must reflect on why it allowed its protests to derail a bill that aligns with its stated commitment to social justice.
For Goa’s ST communities, this is not just about reserved seats but about their right to be heard in the democratic process. The bill’s passage would mark a historic step toward rectifying a long-standing injustice. To move forward, both sides must commit to constructive dialogue. The government should prioritize the bill in the remaining days of the Monsoon Session, ending August 21, 2025, and ensure its swift passage, even if it means invoking measures to curtail disruptions. The Opposition, in turn, must recognize that its actions have consequences beyond scoring political points and allow the House to function.
Goa’s STs deserve better than to be pawns in a political blame game. Their voices must rise above the din of parliamentary chaos, and their right to representation must be upheld. The question remains: will India’s lawmakers rise to the occasion, or will they continue to let partisan politics triumph over constitutional justice?
