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Goanetter Francis Rodrigues (Vasco/Toronto) book launch in
London, England @ the World Goa Day festivities on 15 Aug at 7pm
Details http://www.konkanisongbook.com
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Grassroots politicians oppose panchayat amendment
Joaquim Fernandes, TNN 12 August 2009, 05:56am IST
PANAJI: The recently-formed Panchayat Democratic Forum on Tuesday vowed to
launch an
agitation to protest the recent amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act and
continue it
till the amendment is withdrawn.
The forum comprising sarpanchas, panch members and activists from across Goa
conducted its first meeting on Tuesday and decided to approach the governor to
urge
him not to assent to the controversial amendment. Speaker after speaker blasted
the
government for effecting the amendment they said would take away the powers of
the
panchayats.
Centre for Panchayati Raj director Soter D'Souza said the amendment is an
effort to
usurp the panchayat powers and described the move as unconstitutional. He said
ruling and opposition MLAs acted together in passing the bill during the recent
assembly session. The government does not want to follow the model Panchayati
Raj
Act because it does not want to devolve powers to the panchayats, D'Souza said.
He also said that with the amendment, the government has opened the doors of
injustice to panchayats. Panchayat secretaries will connive to commit
irregularities
and this will result in problems at the village panchayats, he alleged. "We
need to
come out unitedly to fight against this amendment," D'Souza said.
Advocate Thalmann Pereira said the amendment is against the spirit of the 73rd
and
74th amendment to the Constitution of India. "Benevolent dictatorship is not
acceptable. Democracy is democracy and people will decide about their
representatives depending on their report cards," Pereira said.
He recollected that when the bill was referred to the select committee, Saligao
MLA
Dilip Parulekar had raised four objections to the bill. These included the
suggestions to take the panchayats into confidence regarding the bill, that
panchayat powers of the panchayats were being taken away and that giving powers
to
panchayat secretaries would encourage manipulation by vested interests.
Parulekar
had inexplicably withdrawn his objections, Pereira said.
Former Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira appealed to the assembly to stand
united
in their fight against the amendment. "The government should have taken all 189
sarpanchas into confidence on this bill. The MLAs get elected on the support of
sarpanchas and panch members and then they trample over us. The governor should
not
give his assent to this bill," Sequeira said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/goa/Grassroots-politicians-oppose-panchayat-amendment/articleshow/4883851.cms
