MARGAO: The members of the All Goa Toddy Tappers Association on Monday said that the newly formed committee was valid and clarified that all the certificates issued by the Association in the past too were valid and there was no rift in the Association.
However, Francisco Fernandes, President of the Association, said that the new committee was formed without conducting elections, but by procedure of nomination for the sake of registration of the Association.
At the same time, he also said that the committee will surely revoke the certificate if it is found that caste certificates were issued to non-members of the Association.
“I am not aware of any orders from the District Registrar/Inspector General of Societies pertaining to the invalidation of all caste certificates issued by the Association due to the latter’s failure in renewing its registration,” Fernandes said, when questioned.
He further said that elections will be held very soon and all the members of the Association will be informed about the same.
“The registration of the Association was not renewed due to some technical reasons. Hence, they cannot say that its functioning was illegal. The recently formed committee was through nomination and no elections were held. Newly formed committee is a temporary one. We will hold the elections very soon. Committee was formed in order to avoid inconvenience to the community,” he added.
“It was the responsibility of the aggrieved member to correct the lapses if found when he was an office bearer of the association. Mario Coutinho had taken caste certificates at the time he was alleging that the association was illegal,” the Association president said.
He further alleged that few of the members seen with Mario Coutinho were not even members of the Association. “Mario was removed from the committee two years ago,” informed the President.
