Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 2: Derek Lobo, president of Catholic Association of South Canara (CASC), clarified that his organization, which was founded in 1914 under Cooperative Societies Act, has been functioning in a transparent manner. He scoffed at the alleged attempts being made to tarnish the image of his organization by certain people, who he said, have been making making baseless allegations against it.

Addressing a press conference in the city on Thursday December 1, Lobo demanded for the constitution of an independent inquiry committee to go into the functioning of the organization.

“CASC has always kept welfare of Christian community uppermost in its agenda. In the recent past, retired judge and immediate past president of CASC,  Justice M F Saldanha, has begun leveling baseless allegations against the organization, apart from engaging in malicious propaganda. He seems to have been disheartened at his failed attempt to get elected as CASC president for the third consecutive term. I squarely deny the allegation that CASC has collected bribe of one crore rupees and deposited the same in a foreign country,” he said.

Derec added that the accounts of the organizations are regularly audited by authorized auditors, and that the audited accounts and reports are being promptly submitted to the registrar of cooperative societies. He said that the allegation about bringing liquor from Goa for the reunion of the organization arranged on November 21, 2010 at Mangalore Club was also false. He clarified that all excise rules and organization’s principles were followed in organizing the said event.

“The allegation that the annual general body meeting dated September 19, 2010, was not held properly is also false. There were no anti social agenda in this meeting. A total of 86 members were present there, and they chose office bearers for the term 2010-12.  I demand for investigations into the functioning of CASC from 2001 to 2011 by an independent inquiry committee. This will help the people to know the truth,” he stressed.

Office bearers of CASC, Capt Hugh Vaz, Lilly Pereira, David Pais, Walter D’Sa, and Capt J P Menezes were present at the press conference.