Margao: Reacting to the objections raised by certain Hindu associations to the election of Abdul Karim as the sarpanch of Korgao on the grounds that he is Muslim, the Goa unit of Dakshinayan Abhiyan on Tuesday condemned the move “to inject communal poison into society.”
This is an attempt to bring a communal element into panchayat and local politics, said lawyer Cleofato Coutinho. “Discrimination based on caste and religion is a matter against which state should come down with an iron hand,” Coutinho said. “Those resorting to such provocative comments should be booked for hate speech.” The organisation also denounced the move to pressure panchayat members to bring a no-confidence motion against Karim, which it said threatened the secular fabric. “Govt’s silence on this matter has raised concerns about the protection of democratic values,” the organisation said.