Team Herald
MARGAO: Chairman and Vice Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan Prashant Naik and Shaish Palandikar on Wednesday said they will not demit office following the change in political situation in the State.
“We would prefer to wait and watch on what grounds the government will dismiss us,” they said.
Naik pointed out that the Constitution of Ravindra Bhavan stipulates that the managing committee has a three-year term and hence they will continue to be in office till the end of the current year.
“The Art and Culture Minister has gone on record to say that our team is doing excellent work and even said that we were performing better than Kala Academy,” he said while also disclosing that the Chief Minister at a meeting with all Ravindra Bhavan chairpersons had praised his team.
“When they have been praising us all along I see no reason why we should not be allowed to complete our term,” he said while admitting that the government has the powers to dismiss them but cautioned that there will be consequences to pay.
“The government cannot act in haste as we have the example of Neturlim Panchayat sarpanch who was dismissed but was later reinstated as sarpanch by the court,” he said while clarifying that he was not hinting at going to the court but only cautioning the government.
Vice Chairman Palandikar while asserting that though morally it was expected for them to resign as their party is no longer supporting the government said, “They decided to stay put only to see on what grounds the government would dismiss them.”
“We want to know on what grounds the government will dismiss us on for inefficiency or corruption,” he said pointing out that during their tenure they have organised more programmes than those held earlier.
