Click to play videoPanaji: Goa Education Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate has been pulled up by Utt Goenkara, a social organisation for lying on oath.
The local non-governmental organisation (NGO) claims that while Monserrate heads the education ministry, his own education documents presented to the Election Commission before the elections are fraudulent.
The NGO demands that not only should the concerned departments scrutinise Monserrate’s documents, but also that the minister steps down for having lied on oath.
It is alleged that Monserrate has validated on the state government website that he is a BA undergraduate and has only completed the course's second year.
However, his election affidavit states that he's studied up to Class X (matriculation) SSC.
Utt Goenkara spokesperson Aires Rodrigues has filed an FIR against the minister, challenging him to prove that he is indeed a holder of a valid SSC certificate.
The NGO claims that the minister is a Class VIII drop-out.
“We'd given Babush Monserrate a deadline to prove he is SSC or resign. He has failed to do both and has failed to explain to the people of Goa why he lied to the Election Commission,” said Rodrigues.
The NGO has got its hands on the minister's school records as well as his affidavit to prove its case to the Election Commission.
While education or the lack of it cannot disqualify the minister from office, stating incorrect facts can call for trouble.
The minister meanwhile is not batting an eyelid.
“I don't have to react to anyone who files an FIR against me. If there's something wrong in my affidavit, the proper authority should ask me to explain my stand,” Monserrate said in defence.
Monserrate had filed an affidavit along with his nomination papers on May 12, 2007 while filing for the Goa Assembly elections.
Therein, he had stated that he had passed the SSC from St Theresa's High School, Bandra, but the school has refuted the claim.
The school records reveal that Monserrate joined the school in standard VI in 1975 and discontinued on September 7, 1978 while still in standard VIII.
Two other ministers who are actually school drop-outs have been shown to have passed Class X and almost graduated as per information uploaded on the official government's website.
Tourism minister Mickky Pacheco seems to have studied till standard VII but is shown to have studied till standard XI and another minister Joaquim Alemao's educational qualification has been stated as 'SSCE' though he dropped out of school after standard VII, the NGO alleged.
Monserrate has seen testing times before. Controversy had stalked this minister even when he was involved in a dubious land-dealing act while in the ministry of town planning. He also has a history of being accused of assaulting activists of the Youth Congress and had been jailed for attacking the Panaji Police station.
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