MARGAO: Political rivalry between Velim MLA Benjamin D’Silva and the Sarzora Sarpanch Jacinto Fernandes came to the fore once again – this time at the inauguration of the Sarzora village cemetery on Monday.
A visibly upset Benjamin told the gathering that local panchayat body did not personally invite him for the inauguration. Instead, the panchayat preferred to leave the invitation at his office, he said.
The Velim MLA went a step further and said the function is illegal saying the panchayat cannot hold the function when the project has been executed by the Rural Development Agency (RDA). “Don’t do any illegality. The file concerning the project has still not been transferred by the RDA”, Benjamin told the Sarpanch Jacinto Fernandes, who shared the dais along with other dignitaries, including former ZP chief Clafacio Dias and the local priest.
Referring to the delay in executing work on the Panchayat Ghar, Benjamin told the gathering that he could have completed the project within two years. “I do not know what has happened to the project. The sarpanch and the panchayat members are not come to me with the project”, he said.
And, Benjamin sent a veiled warning saying that he can usher in the village development even without the panchayat’s cooperation. “People suffer if there is no coordination between the panchayat and MLA. They say whether there is any need of an MLA to take up developmental works. I want to tell these people that I will usher in the development if the people request me, irrespective of whether the Panchayat supports the project or not”, Benjamin asserted.
When the media later sought reaction of Sarpanch Jacinto to the charges traded by the MLA, the Sarpanch said since the MLA was not found present in the office, the invitation card was left in the office. “Since we were preoccupied with the function, we could not personally invite the MLA”, he said.
Jacinto did not take kindly to Benjamin’s speech, demanding to know whether the local self government panchayat bodies have no freedom to take up developmental works. “The way the MLA spoke it gives an indication that he does not want to give us freedom”, he said, alleging that the MLA had pushed on the people of Sarzora what was not required by the village.
