MAPUSA
The government’s ‘Sarkar Tumchea Dhari’ programme, billed as a direct interface between citizens and the administration, came under criticism after members of ‘Together for Mapusa’ (TFM) alleged that police prevented them from presenting civic grievances to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
TFM Secretary Jitesh Kamat alleged that police seized placards and a memorandum the group had brought to the ‘Seva Setu Sangam’ programme at Pragati Hall on Saturday.
Kamat said the placards had pictorial representations of civic problems in Mapusa and were intended to highlight the issues before the Chief Minister.
“The police took away our placards and even the memorandum we had prepared to present to the CM. If the CM, representing the government, is supposed to meet the people, why was a section of people not allowed?” Kamat said.
TFM condemned the alleged action, questioning the purpose of a public grievance programme if sections of citizens were not permitted to put their concerns directly before the Chief Minister.
The allegation adds a political dimension to an event presented by the government as an exercise in bringing administration closer to citizens.
