Sancoale panchayat secretary gets show cause notice over ‘casteist’ remark

Panaji: Director of panchayats Siddhi Halarnakar has issued a show cause notice to Sancoale panchayat secretary Orville Vales over his alleged casteist remark against tribal leader Rama Kankonkar. Vales has been given 15 days to respond to the notice.

Kankonkar and Vales allegedly had a spat when Kankonkar visited the panchayat office to support social worker Premanand Naik, who was on an indefinite hunger strike against the Bhutani project. The protest was aimed at safeguarding land and the environment at Sancoale.

Tribal organisations filed a police complaint against Vales, alleging that he assaulted and humiliated Kankonkar.

Halarnakar issued the show cause notice after her office received notice from the office of Goa Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Panaji, in respect of a complaint by secretary of the Gomantak Goud Samaj, Shyam Sangodkar, and others. They alleged that Vales called Kankonkar by his caste name, “Gawdo”. The complaint also mentioned the alleged assault and humiliation of Kankonkar.

The director of panchayats has sought an explanation from Vales as to why action should not be initiated against him. He has been asked to submit his reply within 15 days, failing which it would be presumed that he had nothing to say in the matter, and action as deemed fit would be initiated in accordance with the law.



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