Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: The Poinguinim Gramsabha was adjourned on Sunday without transacting any business after members objected to the absence of Village Sarpanch Savita Ramesh Tawadkar and insisted that she be present for the meeting.
Trouble broke out at the commencement of the sparsely attended Gramsabha when members demanded the Sarpanch’s presence, stating that several important questions were scheduled to be raised and answered during the meeting.
Members refused to accept the explanation that the Sarpanch was unable to attend due to an emergency in her neighbourhood and that Deputy Sarpanch Sunil Paingamkar would chair the meeting in her absence. They alleged that the Sarpanch had deliberately skipped the Gramsabha to avoid answering their questions.
With members refusing to allow the proceedings to continue, the meeting was adjourned without taking up any of the scheduled agenda items. They claimed that three major issues requiring the Sarpanch’s response were listed for discussion and demanded that Gramsabhas be compulsorily held in the presence of the elected Sarpanch.
Speaking to the media later, Deputy Sarpanch Sunil Paingamkar said the Sarpanch had informed the Panchayat meeting on Friday about her inability to attend the Gramsabha due to important commitments. He added that he had been asked to chair the meeting in her absence.
The members present collectively expressed their displeasure, maintaining that the Sarpanch’s absence was insulting to villagers who had come to raise important questions and expected proper answers.
All the seven other Panch members, including the Deputy Sarpanch, were present at the meeting, along with Panchayat Secretary Rajiv Naik Gaunkar.
Meanwhile, in a video circulated on social media, Sarpanch Savita Ramesh Tawadkar clarified that a woman in her neighbourhood, who had been hospitalised, had died. Being a neighbour, she said, she was occupied with funeral arrangements and related responsibilities, which prevented her from attending the Gramsabha.
Tawadkar said the Deputy Sarpanch was present and ready to chair the meeting, but members did not allow the proceedings to continue. She alleged that the incident was an attempt by some members to play politics.
Defending the arrangement, she said that in the Sarpanch’s absence, the Deputy Sarpanch or another Panch member could chair the meeting. She also pointed out that the Deputy Sarpanch had been elected by the Panch members and was equally familiar with Panchayat affairs.
Denying that she had stayed away to avoid questions, Tawadkar said she was not afraid of answering questions raised by villagers.
Following the incident, members reiterated their demand that future Gramsabhas should be held only in the presence of the Village Sarpanch.
