St Cruz: The village panchayat of Santa Cruz on Saturday pointed out that Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai had named their gram sabha in the Assembly accusing them of supporting ‘matka’ gambling, without understanding the resolution.
Santa Cruz panchayat Sarpanch Jeniffer de Olivera, ZP member Shiny Olivera and Deputy Sarpanch Inacio Pereira pointed out that the utterances by Sardesai against them during the ongoing Assembly session was unwarranted and without understanding the issue.
Jeniffer said that one of the member of gram sabha Mariano Araujo had moved a resolution asking Gram panchayat to take action against illegal gambling in the village.
She said that nowhere in the resolution, word Matka, was used.
ZP Member Shiny de Olivera said that the resolution was disallowed by the majority members as Gram panchayat has no right to act against the illegal gambling.
“The law makes it mandatory for the police to take action the illegal gambling. It is the duty of the police. Gram Sabha has no role to play in it,” she said.
Deputy Sarpanch Domnick Pereira expressed surprise how Sardesai, who is known for studying the matter before taking up the issue, did not even bothered to get the original copy of the resolution from the panchayat.
“Without cross checking the fact Sardesai labeled all the gram sabha members as those supporting matka. I appeal Sardesai to act against matka in his own Fatorda by passing resolution in the Margao municipal council. Let us see which law empowers the panchayats or municipalities to raid the illegal gambling dens,” he said.
Pereira said that chief minister Pramod Sawant is already acting against illegalities and panchayat is in full support of him.
“We cannot take up any resolution which is outside our ambit of power,” he added.
Referring to the person who had moved the resolution, Pereira alleged that the same member was involved in matka gambling in the past.
He said that the member can approach crime branch with the list of illegal gambling activities and panchayat is ready to back him with all the support required.
