MARGAO: Quoting the order passed by the District Registrar/Inspector General of Societies declaring all the caste certificates issued by the All-Goa Toddy Tappers Association (AGTDA) as null and void, traditional toddy tappers threatened to approach the High Court to stop the functioning of the AGTDA.
On Saturday, several toddy tappers and their family members gathered outside the AGTDA office at Margao and demanded that it stops functioning immediately.
On the other hand, upon the orders of the District Registrar, several elected members who fought and won elections for local bodies with caste certificates issued by the association may now be in trouble.
The toddy tappers also raised several questions about the functioning of the office, and accused the members of misusing funds.
Speaking to reporters, Mario Coutinho, who was expelled by the Association President Antonio Francisco Remy Borges, said that the AGTDA cannot issue any caste certificates to its members.
“Even though the association has issued the caste certificates, they stand illegal, as orders have clearly stated that the registration of the said association has not been renewed till date. It was registered in 1965. And hence, our demand is for the AGTDA to stop issuing more certificates and to halt the functioning of the office,” he said.
“We will not be responsible for anything that will happen after we approach the High Court,” Coutinho warned.
He alleged that the association was initially registered under the name ‘All Goa Toddy Tappers Association’; however, the office bearers illegally changed it to ‘All Goa Toddy Tappers Employers Association’. As per the order, the government has decided not to renew the registration certificate of the society owing to a dispute amongst two factions of the association members.
“Even the meetings conducted by the office bearers are illegal. Since 2010, they have been issuing caste certificates illegally. I have all the evidence of illegalities done by the office-bearers,” said Coutinho.
The past and present members have also threatened to file complaints with the police if the office-bearers do not stop operating from the AGTDA office, illegally.
