Caste cert row marks Bhandari Samaj meet

Margao: The general body meeting of Gomantak Bhandari Samaj, held in Panaji on Sunday, was dominated by a sharp demand to halt the issuance of caste certificates by the samaj body and to conduct elections within the next four months. The meeting was convened after the Bombay high court granted permission to administrator Sakharam Naik to hold it.

The question of caste certificates became the focal point of the proceedings. A member, Atish Mayekar, challenged the administrator’s authority, pointing out that neither govt nor the HC had issued any directive authorising him to instruct community office-bearers to issue caste certificates. His arguments drew strong support from the floor.

Mayekar further questioned why the Bhandari Samaj body was issuing separate caste certificates when state govt was already doing so.

Members also demanded a financial audit of transactions during the previous executive committee’s tenure. A resolution was subsequently passed to appoint an independent auditor for the purpose.