OLD GOA
The Santa Cruz panchayat authorities have accused former sarpanch Mariano Araujo of tarnishing the village by spreading misinformation that the Gram Sabha of July 30 supported gambling.
Speaking to reporters in the panchayat office on Saturday, Sarpanch Jennifer Oliveira stated that the proposal of Araujo to approve a ban on gambling in Santa Cruz was opposed by the majority of the people as they said that the Gram Sabha is not the right platform to address the issue and that the same should be directly addressed to law enforcing agencies.
“However, after the end of the Gram Sabha, Araujo addressed a section of the media and provided misinformation that the Gram Sabha has supported gambling in the village,” Oliveira stated and added that it was an attempt to defame the Santa Cruz villagers by the former sarpanch.
Dy sarpanch Domnic Pereira alleged that it was Araujo who was running matka business when he was the sarpanch in 2017. Why did he not take action against gambling at that time? Why now?” he questioned.
“Today, the panchayat is doing good things in the village and the opposition cannot swallow the same. And they are only resorting to wild allegations to malign the Santa Cruz panchayat and the villagers,” Pereira stated
He further sought to know why Araujo was not taking up the issue with the law enforcing agencies when he is well aware that the panchayat has no powers in dealing with gambling issues,” he informed.
Further, Pereira said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has stated that he would act against matka and the panchayat is willing to support any such drive.
“It was totally wrong to state that Santa Cruz villagers are supporting gambling and we demand an apology from the former sarpanch,” Pereira stated.
He also slammed Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai for speaking on the issue in the Assembly without knowing the facts.
“We are going to meet the speaker and demand expunging of the statements of Sardessai,” he stated.
ZP member Shiny Oliveira also informed that, being a voter of Santa Cruz, she had raised her hand in opposition to the approving of resolution on banning gambling.
“But a certain section of the media reported that I along with other women raised our hands in supporting gambling which is not true,” she said and informed that the issue has no connection whatsoever with the panchayat functioning.
