Villagers block Bathinda road over sarpanch’s suspension

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 14

Ghudda village sarpanch Seema Rani, who was suspended a few days ago, along with panches blocked the Bathinda-Badal road in protest against her suspension here on Sunday. A large number of villagers also took part in the protest.

The protesters accused a local Congress leader of get Seema Rani suspended over a wrong allegation and also raised slogans against him. They also carried black flags in their hands.

Seema Rani said during the panchayat elections a relative of the Congress leader had contested against her and lost the elections. After the defeat, she became allegedly irksome for the leader. Now, they got her suspended by making a false allegation against her and using his political clout, she said.

Further, she claimed that nothing wrong had been done by her in the auction of shops. If it was a matter of the Model Code of Conduct, then why no action had been initiated against the Congress leader, who was present at the meeting. She alleged that among these shops, two shops were owned by the Congress leader’s father.

Seema Rani’s husband Prithpal Singh Kaka said in the history of the village, this panchayat had called gram sabha, in which a detailed record of funds was given to the villagers.

He alleged that the leader wanted the panchayat to do work according to him, but the panchayat worked as per the villagers, which was not tolerable to him.

Prithpal Singh Kaka said if nobody listened to their plea and resolved their issue, then they would intensify their agitation and would knock the door of the court as well.

It is pertinent to mention that on July 19, the BDPO, Sangat, had called a meeting of panchayat members of Ghudda village, in which one member was to be allowed to use the panchayat record and funds.

The protesting villagers raised slogans against the BDPO, Sangat, and constituted an action committee, which would plan further agitation on this issue. They demanded that the decision of suspending Seema Rani should be cancelled immediately.