PANAJI: The opposition Congress party on Tuesday demanded that the director of education Vandana Rao shold apologise for using insulting words to a delegation of Congress office-bearers, who had gone to inquire about the delay in releasing salaries of primary teachers and non-teaching staff of North Zone and the central zone.
Speaking to reporters at the Congress office, here, Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat said that every individual or rerpesentative of any institution had democratic right to express his or her opinion in a democratic way.
Kamat said that on Monday evening the Congress office-bearers discussed the issue with the director of education in a cordial manner. She told them that there was a delay in releasing salaries due to budgetary sanction and assured them that payment would be made to primary teachers. But when the delegation asked for exact date for payment, she told them to get out from her cabin, Kamat said adding that head of departments can not use insulting words to people.
"We had gone with peoples issue. but the matter in which she (director of education) spoke was condemnable. She insulated the office-bearers of Congress party," Kamat said adding that public had to be treated properly in their offices when they come with their problems. The leader of the Opposition demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should conduct an inquiry and ask the director of education to apologise.
Kamat said that he will request Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to see that the director of education expresses her apology for using insulting word like 'get out'. The director of education was a government servant and should know to respect the chair, he said. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) general secretary Amarnath Panjikar, Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (GPYCC) president Varad Mardolkar and Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress president Pratima Coutinho were also present for press briefing. Later in the evening,the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (GPYCC) president Varad Mardolkar filed a police complaint against the director of education demanding that a FIR be registered and investigation be carried out and the accused be prosecuted in accordance with law.
A CD containing the video recording/footage of the incident which contains the material portion where director of education Vandana Rao had insulted the complainants has been annexed in the complaint submitted to the Porvorim police station. Mardolkar in his complaint stated that the director of education had intentionally insulted the Youth Congress members and the office-bearers of GPCC and it constitutes an offence punishable under Section 504 of IPC.