MARGAO
The Minister at the people’s doorstep programme ended in a row at Betul-Quepem after the sarpanch and panchas were stopped from entering the ONGC complex for a meeting with Ministers Rohan Khaunte, Nilesh Cabral and Subhash Phaldessai.
Khaunte shared the sentiments of the sarpanch Pritom Devulkar and panchas saying the police and the security had no right to stop the village representatives from entering the ONGC complex, adding that they were invited for discussions on the issues of the village.
After visiting the areas at Betul, including the Betul Fort and the acquired land, the Ministers were scheduled to hold further discussions inside the ONGC complex with the local MLA Altone D’Costa and panchayat members.
While the official entourage entered the ONGC complex, the police and the security stopped the sarpanch and panchas at the entrance gate and kept them out. MLA Altone D’Costa stood by the panchas, and even though Khaunte sent a message to the MLA and panchas inviting them inside, they refused to enter.
Even as Altone said the decision to stop the panchas from entering ONGC was insulting and humiliating, the Tourism Minister said what happened at the gate was not right.
“We have come here to discuss, and the discussions cannot take place without the panchayat. Every panchayat member has a role to play. We have to talk to the panchayat. Whether advertently or inadvertently, the members were kept out, which is not right,” he said.
Sarpanch Pritom Devulkar demanded to know whether the programme was a government or a party function, questioning how the elected panchas were kept out while a defeated BJP candidate and workers were allowed entry.
“This is an insult to the panchayat. We are deeply hurt over the way the panchas was kept out of the ONGC,” she said.
