NGO asks Goa education minister to quit for fraud affidavit

Panaji, Sep 4 (UNI) Goan NGO Utt Goenkara today demanded the resignation of Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate by September 7 for allegedly filing a false affidavit regarding his educational qualification for the last Assembly election.

Mr Monserrate had allegedly claimed of having passed S S C examination though he did not even complete the VIII standard.

If Mr Monserrate does not resign or Chief Minister Digambar Kamat does not sack him, Utt Goenkara would take all steps possible to ensure that action is taken against him, NGO spokesperson Advocate Aires Rodrigues said.

Stating that the minister would solely be responsible for all the consequences, Mr Rodrigues said by filing a false affidavit of his own educational qualifications, Mr Monserrate had lost all moral authority to continue as the Education Minister of Goa.

He said, ''It is unacceptable to have a person who has fudged his own educational qualifications to be entrusted with the task of formulating and shaping Goa's educational policy.'' Adv Rodrigues has challenged the Education Minister to prove that the latter had passed the Secondary School Certificate Examination from St Theresa's High School, Mumbai as claimed by him in the affidavit on May 12, 2007 for June Assembly elections.

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