Goa Sena demands apology from Panchayat Minister over

The Shiv Sena in Goa has demanded apology from state Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho for his statement against panchayat secretaries claiming them to be corrupt.

In an interview to a local channel, Godinho had claimed that panchayat secretaries were responsible for teaching panch members to indulge in corrupt practices.

"It is unfair and sad on the part of the minister to shield the corrupt panch members who have been the main reason for the worsening panchayat bodies which are directly affecting the day-to-day life of the people," Sena's Goa spokesman Rakhi Naik told reporters here.

"Shiv Sena appeals panchayat minister to tender unconditional apology to all the panchayat secretaries as many of whom have worked for the betterment of panchayat bodies without indulging into corrupt practices," Naik added.
 

She said the statement by panchayat minister will come as an encouragement of those "rogue" panch members who have been exploiting people without being afraid of the consequences.

Naik narrated her personal experiences with panch members.

"Our party in past had met similar kind of situation when despite exposing the illegalities by Neturlim panchayat in South Goa, there seems to be no action taken against them," she said.

The spokesman said "police have filed First Information Report against sarpanch Rajani Gaonkar, deputy sarpanch Abhijit Desai and panch member Prakash Bhagat accusing them of criminal conspiracy, forgery and criminal misappropriation of money."

"But till date not even their statement has been recorded by Sanguem police," she added.

Sena said it is condemnable that panchayat minister is making all the secretaries look like corrupt class of people, just because they are government servants and have no voice.

The state government should set an example by taking action against the panch members of Neturlim panchayat so that no panch will dare to trouble the people in future and indulge themselves in the corrupt practices, she said.