Team Herald
PANJIM: All Goa Banjara Samaj on Friday condemned the statement made by Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar of driving away Lamanis from Goa. The Samaj has decided to take to the streets, if the minister fails to apologise.
Addressing the media, Banjara Samaj General Secretary Ganesh Lamani said, “We condemn the minister’s remarks and request him to take back his comments, if not, we are ready to come on the streets. We welcome the decision of the minister against beggars, hawkers, illegal vendors and drug peddlers along the beach belt but the minister should not target and blame an entire community for the misdeeds of a few.”
He added, “Further, the minister talked of Goenkarponn and that we are spoiling Goa’s culture. Many of us have been born and brought up in Goa and have accepted the culture of Goa.”
He appealed to the media to avoid labelling the entire Lamani community and giving it a bad name. “Banjara community has a rich cultural heritage and is spread in all the States,” he said.
Lamani also said that they might approach the SC commission if the minister does not apologise.
