06 Aug 2023  |   07:19am IST

Ex-sarpanch made false statements on illegal gambling: Santa Cruz Panchayat

Says gram sabha does not have powers to discuss such resolutions as illegal gambling is a criminal offence and doesn’t come within the purview of the Panchayati Raj Act

Team Herald

PANJIM:  The Santa Cruz Village Panchayat on Saturday accused former sarpanch Mariano de Araujo of twisting the facts to gain mileage and made completely false and fabricated statements on illegal gambling to defame the villagers, after the gram sabha meeting.

Addressing a press conference in the panchayat office, sarpanch Jennifer De Oliveira said that the panchayat had received a resolution to ban illegal gambling from Araujo, which was placed before the gram sabha held last Sunday.

Deputy Sarpanch Inacio Dominic Pereira told him that the resolution was in the interest of the village. 

But Pereira quickly added that the panchayat too supports him, the gram sabha does not have powers to discuss such resolutions as illegal gambling is a criminal offence and doesn’t come within the purview of the Panchayati Raj Act. Araujo was requested to approach the authorities concerned with his grievances so that appropriate action could be taken. 

Peter Gonsalves, a villager, attending the gram sabha, clarified that such resolutions cannot be entertained in the gram sabha as the panchayat had no powers on the same and that if this resolution was passed then all such resolutions outside the scope of the panchayat will also have to be passed. 

According to the sarpanch, Araujo was not willing to accept this reply and wanted the resolution passed by any means causing chaos. The Panchayat decided to put the resolution to vote on whether to consider the same or not. 

The gram sabha members present rejected the consideration of the proposal and said that the applicant should follow proper procedure and approach appropriate authorities for relief. The word “matka” or “modko” never came up and was not discussed during the entire gram sabha proceedings, she said alleging that Araujo had twisted the facts after the gram sabha meeting to gain mileage and made completely false and fabricated statements to defame the villagers.