Uproar over passing of budget at Areal, gram sabha adjourned

The meeting was initially chaired by Sarpanch Linda Fernandes and later by Deputy Sarpanch Valente when the issue of budget came up for discussion. At first, the gram sabha members demanded that the Chair take up the discussion on budget after the discussion on the third point listed on the agenda.

The deputy Sarpanch remained firm and set in motion the process to discuss and pass the budget estimates. The meeting was marked by uproar after a member proposed the passage of the budget estimates, which was strongly objected by the members, who insisted on detailed discussions on the budget.

The deputy Sarpanch later put the budget for voting and decided that majority of the gram sabha members have supported the passage of budget. This invited sharp reaction from the gram sabha members, who insisted that majority of the gram sabha members have opposed the passage of the budget.

With the uproar continuing unabated, the deputy sarpanch adjourned the meeting and walked down the stage. Agitated gram sabha members, however, stopped the Panchayat Secretary from moving out, demanding that he stays put inside the hall in order to continue the gram sabha.

The police personnel made their presence at the meeting hall after the panchayat secretary could not move out of the meeting hall.

Gram sabha member Freddy Travasso told the media after the meeting that the deputy Sarpanch Valente has passed the budget when majority of the members had opposed the estimated. Deputy Sarpanch Valente, on the other hand, maintained that only a few members raised their hands when asked whether they are opposed to the budget estimates, pointing out that the majority of the members supported the passage of budget.

He said the panchayat would fix the date to hold the adjourned gram sabha.