Team Goemkarponn
Canacona: The Goa Forward Party (GFP) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to defranchise Catholic voters in the Canacona constituency by allegedly misusing Form-7 applications meant for deletion of names from the electoral rolls.
Addressing a press conference at Canacona, GFP General Secretary and spokesperson Prashant Naik, in the presence of GFP Canacona Mandal President Datta (Pandurang) Gaonkar, alleged that a systematic effort was underway to target Catholic-dominated areas under the guise of electoral roll revision.
Naik claimed that several Form-7 applications submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) originated from the office of Canacona MLA and Minister Ramesh Tawadkar. He alleged that BJP-appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) had filed Form-7 applications at multiple locations seeking deletion of voters’ names from the electoral list.
According to Naik, complaints for deletion have been submitted in the names of certain individuals, some of whom have denied signing any such forms. He cited the example of Deepak Lolienkar, who allegedly denied having signed any deletion request, while another complainant, Daya Sudhir from the Dapot area, confirmed signing the forms. Naik alleged that such complaints were selectively aimed at Catholic voters by claiming they had shifted elsewhere.
He said GFP had information about alleged deletion attempts in several booths, including Agas, Maxem–Dapot, Pedem in Loliem–Polem village, Karashir-Moll (Agonda), and Chiplem in Poinguinim. He added that details from other Catholic-dominated areas such as Galgibaga, Sadolxem, parts of Agonda, Canacona municipality, Ordhafoind and Pasal were yet to be ascertained.
Naik questioned the procedure followed by electoral officials, stating that complaints should be verified for authenticity before issuing notices to electors, particularly in cases where the alleged complainant denies filing the request. He further alleged that an employee from the Minister’s office had repeatedly submitted Form-7 applications to the electoral office, exceeding the permissible limit of forms per complainant.
Warning election officials on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty, Naik said any wrongful deletion of names of eligible voters would have consequences. “Electoral officers are appointed to serve the people, not any political party. If names of rightful Indian citizens are deleted on the basis of fabricated complaints, Goa Forward Party will not remain silent,” he said.
Naik also criticised the issuance of notices to electors, stating that it amounted to harassment of innocent voters. He alleged that such practices were part of a broader national pattern aimed at removing minority voters from electoral rolls, citing states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar.
The GFP leader said the party would meet electoral officers to seek details of the complaints filed for deletion of voters’ names. He warned that the party would take to the streets if any voter was disenfranchised, except in cases where an elector had voluntarily given up Indian citizenship.
“All Indian citizens, even if they are working elsewhere in the country or abroad, have the right to remain on the electoral rolls of their native place. BJP has no right to demand deletion of their names,” Naik said.
He further alleged that voter names from Agonda had also been targeted by an employee from the Minister/Canacona MLA’s office.
