Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Oct 17: At the general session of Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat held here on Monday October 16, ruling BJP members protested against the alleged interference of the district in-charge minister in the administration of the zilla panchayat by passing instructions to transfer panchayat development officer (PDO) of Aivarnadu gram panchayat (GP). Opposition Congress members, not to be left behind, protested against the fact that the zilla panchayat president mentioned the name of the district in-charge minister when making a reference to sand mafia. Members of both the parties entered the well of the house and protested against each other.
As per information, this was the first ever instance in the history of Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat in which both the ruling and opposition members entered the well of the house at a time. Because of the standoff arising out of the protest, the session was postponed indefinitely.
BJP member, Harish Kanjipili, took umbrage at the transfer affected by the chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat, deploying D Shekhar, PDO of Aivarnadu, who was an efficient officer and because of whose efforts the gram panchayat had bagged Gandhi Award, to Subrahmanya gram panchayat from Aivarnadu just two days before the awards function was to be held. He said that this transfer is illegal and that a protest had been held at Sullia against this transfer. He urged for re-transfer of Haish to Aivarnadu gram panchayat. He drew support from fellow BJP members.
Harish Kanjipili also displayed a letter he claimed was a request letter given by a Congress leader seeking transfer of the panchayat development officer in question, which allegedly is signed by the district in-charge minister. BJP members, accusing the minister of interfering in zilla panchayat affairs, held protest by entering the well of the house.
When verbal altercations ensued between the two sides, Congress members got angry at the mention of sand mafia by the zilla panchayat president. While Congress members claimed that the ZP president had mentioned the name of the district in-charge minister when speaking about sand mafia, ZP president, Meenakshi Shantigodu, stood firm in her claim that she had not done so. Congress members, who were not ready to accept her explanation, held protest against her by entering the well. As such, protests by both the sides were held simultaneously.
After sometime, BJP members returned to seats and urged for re-transfer of Aivarnadu PDO. As Congress members continued with their protest demonstration, the session was adjourned sine die.
The president instructed the concerned to record that a resolution urging re-deployment of Aivarnadu GP PDO, Shekhar, was passed with majority support.