Tarak Arolkar (centre) addressing the media in Mapusa on Monday. Former chairperson Sudhir Kandolkar is also present.
MAPUSA
Former councillor and North Goa District BJP Vice President Franky Carvalho has waded into controversy after attempting to allegedly obtain a false OBC certificate in order to contest in his reserved ward in Mapusa civic polls.
A complaint has been filed at the Mapusa Police Station against Carvalho and the Secretary of the Traditional Fishermen’s Association of North Goa, Peter Menon, for jointly conspiring to fabricate false evidence and commit forgery to obtain an OBC certificate.
The Traditional Fishermen’s Association of North Goa Peter Menon first issued a certificate declaring Franky Carvalho as belonging to the Christian/Catholic Kharvi community on March 19.
But surprisingly, Menon revoked the community certificate issued to the ex-councillor and also informed the deputy collector, Mapusa about the revocation on March 27.
“Carvalho has falsely represented himself as he belongs to Christian/Catholic Kharvi to our association. After thorough inquiry and due diligence, it is noticed that Franky Carvalho does not belong to the other backward class i.e. Christian/Catholic Kharvi community,” said Menon in his communiqué to the deputy collector.
After the Supreme Court’s direction and as per the new ward reservation, Ward 7 represented by Carvalho was declared as OBC (general).
Incidentally, soon after his ward was reserved, Carvalho had declared that he would not contest from the ward as he was not from the OBC category.
Similarly, he had not contested the 2007 council elections when his ward was declared as OBC and supported another candidate in the ward.
Sensing an opportunity to get back at his rival, the opposition backed candidate for Ward 7, Tarak Arolkar has alleged that Franky Carvalho approached the secretary of Traditional Fishermen’s Association of North Goa giving false information and obtained a fake Catholic Kharvi community certificate.
“Carvalho used his political influence to compel the secretary to issue him the fake Catholic Kharvi community certificate. The secretary informed us that Carvalho misguided him,” Arolkar alleged, while addressing the media in Mapusa.
Arolkar said he has filed a police complaint against Carvalho and Menon for fabricating evidence with common intention to obtain/issue a community certificate by making forgery and using false documents to support the ‘class’ claims.
Arolkar further disclosed that Carvalho has also fabricated his birth date to felicitate his false OBC status.
He said one certificate issued in 2008 shows the ex-councillor’s birth as Dec 3, 1968, while a recent certificate obtained from Mapusa Municipal Council shows his birth as June 12, 1965.
“This is criminal and done in connivance with some civic officials. I will file another complaint against relevant authorities to conduct an inquiry on the two different birth certificates,” he said.
He said government officials like the talathis and mamalatdars should take notice of such issues and act against them.
“There should be proper evaluation and verification while issuing certificates. The concerned officials should conduct proper inquiry and check the antecedents of the individual who apply for such caste/class certificates,” he said.
Slamming the Traditional Fishermen’s Association of North Goa for issuing a false certificate, former chairperson, Sudhir Kandokar said such organisations work to the detriment of the Goans.
“It’s become a business for some people to issue such caste/class certificates to any Tom, Dick and Harry. They are depriving the real Goans of government schemes/facilities,” Kandolkar said and demanded that the government should investigate the matter and take action.
MAPUSA: Denying any wrongdoing, former councillor and North Goa District BJP Vice President Franky Carvalho said his opponent has filed a false complaint with the police.
He also said his opponent was desperate as he knows he cannot win and was therefore using every trick possible to defame him.
“I will never do anything wrong that will put my ward and Mapusa people into shame. I have never done anything wrong and have full faith I will never do anything wrong in years to come,” Carvalho said.
“I will expose my opponent for giving false information as elections to the five councils are to be announced on Monday,” he added.
