25 out of 33 members including vice president boycott inauguration

Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, May 11: The newly constructed building for Gangolli grama panchayat was inaugurated on Tuesday, May 10 with tight police security despite the absence of 25 members including the vice president out of 33 members.

The inauguration of the building, scheduled on April 4, was postponed to prevent violation of election code of conduct. However the vice president and members alleging that the malicious decision of grama panchayat president Reshma to inaugurate the building without calling for an ordinary meeting and obtaining the confidence of the people has irked them, stayed away from the programme.

The Gangolli grama panchayat with 33 members has 20 BJP and 13 Congress members. However the members of ruling BJP upset with the sudden decision of the president remained absent. Incidentally the president is from BJP. The presence of only eight members in the programme caused confusion among local people. Vice president Mahesh Raj is also from BJP.

Following dissatisfaction in the inauguration, Kundapur DySP Manjunath Shetty, Gangolli police station SI Subbanna, four other station SIs and staff were present at the venue. Two DAR police regiments were also present. The number of police was more than the people attending the programme.

Byndoor MLA K Gopala Poojary inaugurated the new office of the grama panchayat amidst the confusion.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that people trust the panchayat when the officials respond to the problems and complete the work of the people on time. “Grama panchayat members forgetting the party politics should think of all round development of the area. The government has not consented to upgrade the Gangolli grama panchayat as town panchayat as the population is less. The state chief minister will be laying the foundation stone for Gangolli port brake water project worth Rs 102 crore and set the work in motion. If I knew that elected members meant for the all-round development of the panchayat would behave like this, I would not have come for the programme”, he said.

Guest, Vidhana Parishat member, former minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary speaking on the occasion said that grama panchayat members should work realizing their responsibilities. “The government has given power to the grama panchayats as in the constitution and elected representatives should make use of them. Let there be no politics regarding the development of the grama”, he said.

Gangolli grama panchayat president Reshma Kharvi presided over the programme. Zilla panchayat member Shobha G Putran, Taluk panchayat member Raju Devadiga, Kundapur taluk panchayat executive officer Narayana Swamy, Gangolli trader H Ganesh Kamath, Gangolli church parish priest Fr Albert Crasta, retired headmaster Shabbir Saheb, army man A E Hemanth and others were present.

Grama panchayat development officer Praveen D’ Souza welcomed. Dinesh Sherigar gave a key note address. Shekar G cooperated. Journalist B Raghavendra Pai compered the programme. Narayana Shanbhog proposed vote of thanks.