BJP member files complaint against Vijai for casteist remarks

Margao: A senior BJP functionary lodged a police complaint on Wednesday against GFP President Vijai Sardesai, alleging that he made “casteist” and “derogatory” statements targeting the Speaker, Ramesh Tawadkar.

Dhaku Madkaikar, a zilla panchayat member from St Lawrence constituency and member of the Gawda community, filed the complaint at Fatorda police station. BJP held a press conference at its party office in Margao to condemn Sardesai’s remark.

The complaint refers to a video posted on the official Facebook page of GFP on Tuesday in which Sardesai, objecting to Tawadkar’s presence at the BJP’s legislative party meeting to discuss floor management ahead of the assembly session, allegedly called the Speaker a “puppet” of a political party.

Madkaikar, in his complaint, stated that these statements were made with “malicious intent to humiliate and demean the constitutional office of the Speaker and the social standing of the Gawda/ST community.” He claimed the remarks deliberately insulted “a constitutional authority holding the highest position in the state legislature,” and also targeted the ST community, “of which the Speaker is a prominent member.”

Madkaikar further alleged that Sardesai’s remarks “created enmity and resentment between communities.