It looks like Cuncolim Municipal Council does not believe in democracy and perhaps their fear of people attending the Council meeting has resulted in issuance of notice by the CMC Chairperson Polita Carneiro not to allow any citizen in their meetings.
The CMC bimonthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday in the chairperson’s cabin and the chairperson has issued notice of the meeting to the concerned councillors and officers, but has categorically denied entry to anyone except the councillors and staff. Besides, NGO members and press would be allowed only with the proof of identity.
This note of the council has raised eyebrows of the local, who have termed this as undemocratic and have demanded the withdrawal of the notice and allow locals to attend the meeting.
How can the council bar locals from the council meeting and what do they want to hide from the public and press. Why they are scared people attending meeting. It’s our democratic right and we want to know what is happening in the council meeting, said a local resident Sham Dessai.
We have never seen this type of dictatorial attitude from any chairperson in past. It looks like they want to hide their sins and thus have put restriction on general public and press, a local youth Milton Gama said.
The Chief Officer has put the ball in the Chairperson’s court saying the issuing of notices for the meeting and setting up agenda was the chairperson’s prerogative.
Carneiro told media that some miscreants were interfering and shouting in the meeting and we do not want this to be repeated, hence to maintain order and discipline in meeting we had put this restriction.
Some time ago, the same type of restrictions has been put by the same council where some councillors and former VCP had even asked a press person to leave the meeting as he had not produced his identity card.
Locals have wormed the council to remove the restrictions or else they will be forced to react. Locals have also decided to take this issue to DMA.
