Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: “Zilla Parishad (Poinguinim) should not make a mountain out of a mole-hill with a sole aim to defame the Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar,” stated Khotigao sarpanch Anandu Dessai.
Dessai made the remark against ZP Shobhana Velip for stating that the Speaker and Canacona NLA has threatened to disqualify her as Zilla Member if she fails to carry out beautification at Balram Residential School Complex at a press conference called by BJP Mahila’s at Shristhal on Sunday.
“ZP Shobhana had raised the issue with Minister Nilesh Cabral that the Speaker had not invited her for Lokotsav-23. On March 24, in a program at Khotigao, the Speaker had told ZP Sobhana Velip that Lokotsav is his private festival and it is his prerogative/ concern whether to invite or not to invite anyone. It was not such a serious matter,” he said.
He said that speaking to journalists in Margao (almost after a gap of 4 months), Shobhana cried and accused the Speaker of threatening to disqualify her.
“There is no truth in that allegation,” stated Khotigao Sarpanch Anandu Dessai.
Dessai and others condemned the serious accusation made by Shobhana against the Speaker in a press conference held at Shristhal Rest House.
BJP (mahila Morcha) State vice –president Chanda Desai, Mahila Shakti Morcha Office-Bearer Vrinda Velip, Sarpanch of Poinguinim and Principal of Balram Residential School (Amone) Savita Tavadkar, Shristhal Village Panchayat Sarpanch Sejal Gaonkar, Poonam Gaonkar, Panch Akshata Velip and Panch Shilpa Prabhugaonkar were present in this Mahila press conference, where Khotigao Sarpanch Anandu Dessai addressed the media.
Dessai further stated, ‘Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar did not propose beautification near his Balaram Residential School. But Zilla Panchayat (South) Chairperson Suvarna Tendulkar, ZP (Khola) Shanu Velip informed they have a wish to do something near his school by the Zilla Panchayat funds.’
‘Then the Speaker informed them that they can do beautification near the school. MLAs get funds as MLAs and If MLA want he can do work near his (Tawadkar) school from the MLA fund. Today, 20 houses of 10 to 15 lakh rupees each have been built in Canacona under the concept of Shramdham of Tawadkar. Then, why the Speaker would propose to do the work of 5 to 10 lakh near his school?” asked Dessai.
“As Shobhana Velip is the official candidate of BJP, we have worked round the clock to get her elected. But today Shobhana even after being BJP’s ZP member, she does not work or do any work of BJP. She hasn’t kept her contacts with Mahila Morcha and shouldn’t Shobhana have come forward to take the work of the party forward? This incident of making serious accusations against the leader of our own party is uncalled for”, protested Chanda Desai.
Savita Tawadkar stating Shobhana’s accusation of Speaker threatening to disqualify her is wrong, further said, “The Speaker did not threaten to disqualify Shobhana. But someone wants to make Shobhana a pawn and scapegoat to do politics. The position being ZP member is not ordinary one”.
Sejal Gaonkar, Vrinda Velip, Poonam Gaoankar, Akshata Velip refuted Shobhana’s allegations against the Ramesh Tawadkar.
