Team Herald 

PONDA: The Dhavalikar family has now stepped in to defend their family honours by saying they are a respected family and not as projected by their rivals.

Pamphlets being distributed in Shiroda are allegedly spoiling their family name, targeting especially Deepak Dhavalikar who is contesting on MGP in the Shiroda by-poll. The family has allegedly accused the politicians of drawing their family name into politics for selfish motives by abusing them.

Sandeep Dhavalikar, brother of Sudin and Deepak, said Goa’s politics has reached at an extreme low level. “This should be stopped. My appeal to the media is to play a major role to put an end to this for clean politics,” he said. 

Rajeshri Sudin Dhavlikar, Sudin’s daughter said rival politicians are engaged in dirty politics for long time and this has now gone beyond tolerable limit. Goans know well about Dhavlikar family.

Deepthi Desai, sister of Sudin and Deepak, said that during last 2017 Assembly polls rival politicians maligned Deepak in Priol by distributing pamphlets. “The same people involved in 2017 are defaming him now in Shiroda. This has been a trend now among politicians to level any allegations on Dhavalikar family. My father’s name (late Madhavrao) has been dragged unnecessarily by rival politicians while criticising MGP,” she said.