Panaji, Dec 1 (TOI): The Congress on Thursday said the BJP-led state government was deliberately trying to undermine the authority and responsibility of panchayats in a bid to stifle the ongoing opposition to coal transportation in the state. It demanded that the saffron party apologise to the people for ignoring the sentiments of panchayats and gram sabhas in the matter.

The state Congress unit was referring to statements made recently by panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho, who said resolutions were passed at gram sabhas without the subject matter being understood. He had even said such resolutions had "no meaning whatsoever".

"You cannot deny their (panchayats') role. If somebody says panchayat resolutions have no meaning, it is an insult to the Constitution of India," State Congress president Shantaram Naik, said.

Accusing the government of having a one-point agenda of making money, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said, "This government is manipulative, which is why it is interfering with gram sabhas...It is trying to help Adani and Jindal."

Earlier this month, the state panchayat director issued a circular instructing sarpanchas and panchayat secretaries not to allow discussion under the agenda head, 'Any other subject with the permission of chair', during gram sabhas.

"If Manohar Parrikar loves Goa, he should listen to the voice of the people and take gram sabhas into confidence," Lourenco said.