'Gandhigiri' against Goa State Aids Control Society (GSACS) official

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NGOs resort to 'Gandhigiri' against official

Friday, 27 October , 2006, 18:38

Panaji: The peaceful method of protest popularised by Hindi

film `Lage Raho Munnabhai' continues to inspire people, and the

latest example of it came from Goa.

Activists of voluntary organisations resorted to 'Gandhigiri' at Goa

State Aids Control Society (GSACS) office in Panaji on Friday to

protest alleged indecent behaviour by the society's director Prakash

Kanekar.

The organisations, gathered under the banner of Goa People's Forum,

marched to the office of Kanekar and offered him flowers, the novel

method of protest popularised by the Sanjay Dutt-starrer.

GSACS is a semi-government body, which implements AIDS control

programmes. Several other social activists also joined the NGOs in

the protest that culminated in a street play.

" We have protested in a very peaceful manner... we gave him flowers

and wished him 'speedy recovery', " Satish Sonak, Convenor, Goa

People's Forum, told reporters.

Sonak alleged the director was abusive towards NGOs working in the

field of AIDS awareness and funds sanctioned for AIDS control

programmes were not being utilised in proper manner.

Kanekar, however, refuted the allegations. " If at all there was any

grievance against me, they should have lodged complaint with higher

authorities, " he told the media after the protest.

The GSACS director said he had not committed any mistake and such a

protest was unwarranted.

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