Despite complaints, migrants continue to adopt ‘Naik’ as surname: Bhandari Samaj

Team Herald

PONDA: The Bhandari Samaj is aggrieved that despite lodging several complaints against migrant adopting local surnames to avail government benefits, still many are found adopting ‘Naik’ as their surname.

Addressing the media here, All Goa Bhandari Samaj President Ashok Naik said that he and others have lodged several complaints to the authorities, demanding action against the migrants adopting local surnames.

“However, many migrants continue to adopt ‘Naik’ as their surname. ‘Naik’ is a predominant surname among the members of Bhandari Samaj that enjoys OBC status. To avail benefits of OBC reservation, a large number of migrants are changing their surnames to Naik,” he said. 

He demanded that the sub-registrars in Goa do not allow change of surname without verifying with the Bhandari Samaj that the applicant really belongs to the community.

“As per information obtained under RTI, in the last three years, 4192 people have changed their surnames to Naik despite of strong opposition by Bhandari Samaj,” he said and hoped that as assured in Assembly and to the Samaj, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would look into matter seriously.

“One Laxmi Vishwanath Kazidoni, a resident of Maddel Margao, had changed her surname to Nisha Vishwanath Naik, recently. Therefore, on Monday, I and other office bearers of Bhandari Samaj went to the Sub-Registrar office at Margao and filed our objection to the same. We have submitted our objection to Jyoti Nayak, the joint registrar, not to allow any change in name or surname till the Goa Change of Names and Surname Act, 1990 is amended,” Naik said.

He threatened to take strict legal action against the migrants adopting the ‘Naik’ surname of Bhandari community.

He claimed that by adopting the Bhandari surnames, the migrants are doing injustice to the community. 

“Twenty-one communities come under OBC in Goa. But the migrants are adopting only the Naik surname and this is detrimental to the interest of the Bhandari Samaj in Goa,” he said. 

“The Bhandari Samaj is the largest OBC community in Goa. Therefore, if the migrants are allowed to adopt the ‘Naik’ surname, our future generations will be deprived of the benefits of OBC reservation,” he feared.

He appealed to the members of the Samaj to bring to their notice if any migrant adopts the ‘Naik’ surname.