OLD GOA
Drama prevailed outside the panchayat ahead of the no-confidence motion against Siridao-Palem Sarpanch Jagdish Gauns on Friday after Agassaim police did not allow the panchayat secretary to open the office following a complaint of attempted burglary.
A large number of villagers then gathered outside the panchayat and in the ensuing ruckus, the police were forced to allow the no-confidence motion to be conducted outside the panchayat office and in the open, leading to the ouster of Gauns by 4-0 votes.
Trouble began when Agassaim police did not allow the panchayat secretary to open the office to hold a meeting to discuss the no-confidence motion, on grounds that Gauns had filed a complaint of attempted burglary.
The police said since they have received a complaint of attempted burglary, they would have to conduct investigation first and only then would they allow the office to be opened.
On learning of this development, the signatories to the no-trust motion -- Antonio Afonso, Deputy Sarpanch Melanie de Souza, Camilo Marques and Vasudeo Kunkolienkar -- rushed to the panchayat to take stock of the situation.
In support of the four panchas, BJP leader Ramrao Wagh, Congress leader Tony Fernandes and Goa Forward leader Jagdish Bhobe too arrived and lent their weight, demanding the no-confidence motion to be conducted, come what may.
Soon, a large number of villagers also gathered outside the panchayat office. The police then allowed the no-confidence motion to be conducted outside the panchayat and in the open, before they could conduct investigations.
At the no-confidence motion, Gauns was ousted by 4-0 votes as all four signatories voted in favour of the motion, while Gauns along with two other panchas, Nutan Shirodkar and Kush Palkar, remained absent.
It may be recalled that the four panchas had filed a no-confidence motion against Gauns claiming misappropriation of panchayat funds, failure to take members into confidence, abuse of powers and encouragement of illegal constructions as the reasons.
BDO representative Basilio Pires was the observer while panchayat secretary Mahesh Naik recorded the proceedings.
After the no-confidence motion proceedings were over, the Agassaim police pressed the dog squad in service as well as the forensic team and after conducting the panchanama allowed the secretary to open the office, only at around 1 pm. PSI Subhash Gaonkar is conducting further investigations in the matter.
