Team Herald
MARGAO: Concerned citizens, former sarpanchas, ex-panchas, community leaders and others from the Dabolim constituency have criticised Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and the State government for using government machinery to threaten the locals ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections.
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In a joint letter to the State Election Commissioner (SEC), they demanded for an investigation to be initiated. “Common villagers are being threatened under the garb of notices of demolition that were used by the administrators of two village panchayats of Chicalim and Chicolna-Bogmalo on the eve of the panchayat elections, thereby causing interference and obstruction in a free and fair election process,” they alleged in the letter.
They further alleged that these administrators, who are appointees of the government are acting on behalf of the ruling dispensation, so as to threaten and scare the villagers in order to garner votes for the candidates of the ruling dispensation.
“These series of events are orchestrated so as to instil fear in the voters. In fact, blatant orders of demolition are being issued without giving any fair opportunity of hearing in a completely hasty manner,” read this letter by the concerned citizen group.
During a media briefing held in Margao, Captain Viriato Fernandes criticised Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, who is also the Dabolim MLA, for trying to get the elections postponed until the intervention of the court.
