QUEPEM: A councillor from the Quepem Municipality on Thursday went on a daylong hunger strike to protest the alleged nepotism within the Municipal Council. Amol Kanekar alleged that Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) Chairperson Suchita Shirwaikar misused her powers to employ her son Bhutesh Shirwaikar in the position of MTS (Multi-tasking staff) in the civic body. During his protest outside the QMC office, Kanekar said that Shirwaikar was given the MTS post without following and fulfilling any of the required procedures. He called for the immediate resignation of the Chairperson and added that he, along with some other QMC staff, have appealed to the Directorate of Municipalities to intervene in the matter.
In addition, the Chairperson’s husband Subodh Shirwaikar already works as an upper division clerk (UDC) in the Quepem Municipality, said Kanekar. “This is a blatant display of family raj within the Municipal Council, and should not be allowed in a democracy. The people of Quepem will never tolerate this,” said Kanekar.
Kanekar also alleged that the Chairperson’s husband Subodh was involved in the clandestine sale of Shirvoi Comunidade property on a major scale, as he is also the attorney of the same Communidade.
Kanekar has appealed to Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane to take action in the matter. “I have full faith that Rane and CM Pramod Sawant will not entertain this kind of family raj in any Municipality,” he added.
Reacting to the allegations, QMC Chairperson Suchita Shirwaikar said that the appointment of her son Bhutesh was done by a different agency, and that he is deployed to that agency and not related to the Quepem Municipality, said Shirwaikar, calling the allegations ‘baseless’.
“Councillor Kanekar wants to divert this issue, and gain political mileage with the help of the opposition councillors. There is no question of my resignation,” added the Chairperson.
