TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Taking exception to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s stand that panchayat bodies are superior to gram sabhas, the Goans for Goa has warned that any attempt to dilute the powers of gram sabha will be met with stiff resistance.
GFG Convenor Kennedy Afonso has said the GFG will not hesitate to file a PIL in the Supreme Court to seek clarification on the issue so that the matter is settled in the highest court of the country.
The GFG has begged to differ with Parrikar’s stand on the issue, saying that his statement goes totally against the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution, which has virtually converted the gram sabhas of every village into a supreme decision making body, in the affairs of the development of the villages.
In fact, he pointed out that the 73rd Amendment has empowered the gram sabhas even to check the progress in the villages, suggest ideas, to contribute to the number of decisions taken by the Panchayats, and facilitate to modify the weak decisions.
, whenever they feel.
