Mahatma (Photo credit: Vignesh Sukumaran)
Posted on October 3, 2012, 8:43 AM
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Panaji:
The Catholic Church in Goa lamented that the legislators and politicians are letting down the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi by trying to “unconstitutionally control” grass-root organizations.
“It was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for promoting self-sustained and self-reliant village republics in India that led to the (passing of) 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India,” said Fr. Savio Fernandes, executive secretary of Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) in Panaji.
He was speaking on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the father of the nation, yesterday.
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“The CSJP expresses grave concern that the village councils in the state continue to reel under the unjust and unconstitutional control of the local legislators and the state’s executive machinery,” Fernandes said.
He also criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government for not following the doctrine of “devolution” of power.
The CSJP, which articulates the social concerns of the church, also said that the influence of legislators on grass-root level organizations resulted in projects being forced on villages.
The decisions of the gram sabhas (village committees) are not taken into account, thereby destroying the environment, culture and livelihood of the local inhabitants.
“As Goa grapples with several problems like environmental degradation and corruption, the council would like to remind the government that it is only by putting into practice the ideals of the Mahatma that our villages would experience the lasting fruits of independence,” Fernandes said.
Source: en-maktoob.news
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