NGO to lodge complaint against Monserrate

Panaji, Sep 10 (UNI) City-based social organisation Utt Goenkara has decided to file a criminal complaint against state education minister Atanasio Monserrate in ''false qualification claim affidavit case''.

''If the minister fails to prove his bona fides regarding the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) qualification, as claimed last year in May affidavit before the Election Commission, we will go against him,'' the NGO spokesman Adv Aires Rodrigues told mediapersons here today.

The NGO will lodge the complaint with the police tomorrow and the Election Commission of India day after.

The decision was taken after the minister failed to prove his contention on the affidavit before the September nine deadline, he said, adding, they had earlier brought the issue to the notice of the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Goa B K Hariprasad, who had promised to refer the matter to the party high command.

He alleged that the minister had passed only Class VII but claimed in the affidavit to have passed the SSC examination from Bandra in Mumbai.

Mr Rodrigues said filing of a false affidavit was also an offence under the Representation of People's Act as some voters of Taleigao constituency could not have voted for Mr Monseratte had they known the fact.

If the minister failed to respond further, the NGO will launch a state-wide agitation against him starting from his own Taleigao constituency, he added.

UNI SRN-BM SSS GL KP1428