Storm over ‘expensive’ cups of tea

A political crisis unfolded in Baragudha village after a seemingly small issue over ‘tea cups’ led to the exit of the Panchayat Samiti’s vice-chairperson Gurdev Singh Gudar. The controversy, sparked by allegations of favouritism and neglect of development works, quickly escalated into a battle for power.

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‘Bias’ angered many members

The trouble began when several members of the Panchayat Samiti noticed a pattern of “unequal treatment” by chairperson Manjeet Kaur and vice-chairperson Gurdev Singh Gudar. The leaders were often seen drinking tea in expensive, fancy cups, while the other members were served in cheap disposable cups. This apparent show of favouritism angered many members, “who felt disrespected and sidelined”.

Motion supported by 19 of 22 members

The motion was supported by 19 of the 22 panchayat members. On the day of voting, held at the Baragudha BDO office under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Lakshit Saren, the results were overwhelming. Out of 22 votes, 19 were cast against Gudar, two were in his favour while one vote was invalidated.

The trouble began when several members of the Panchayat Samiti noticed a pattern of “unequal treatment” by chairperson Manjeet Kaur and vice-chairperson Gurdev Singh. The leaders were often seen drinking tea in expensive, fancy cups, while other members were served in cheap disposable cups. This apparent show of favouritism angered many members, “who felt disrespected and sidelined”.

Some of them, including Angrej Singh, Kulwant Kaur, Ramdat, Kuldeep Singh, Mandeep Kaur, Reena Rani, Babita and Sunita Rani, believed the behaviour reflected a larger issue of bias in the administration of the panchayat. They also accused the leaders of ignoring key development works in the village and favouring only a selective people. Feeling that their concerns were being ignored, the members united and moved a no-confidence motion against Gudar on Monday.

The motion was supported by 19 of the 22 panchayat members. On the day of voting, held at the Baragudha BDO office under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Lakshit Saren, the results were overwhelming. Out of 22 votes, 19 were cast against Gudar, two were in his favour while one vote was invalidated. The result was a clear decision to remove him from his post. Following the defeat, Gudar and his supporters were furious. They claimed that the votes had been forced upon the members, and they left the office raising slogans against the government, alleging that their votes were coerced. The drama did not end there. With Gudar’s removal, attention turned to chairperson Manjeet Kaur. The same group of members, who had moved the no-confidence motion against the vice-chairperson, had also expressed their dissatisfaction with her leadership. They accused her of neglecting development work and favouring some members over others.

As a result, another no-confidence motion was planned against her, and a meeting was scheduled for December 26, where her fate would also be decided. The controversy surrounding the tea cups, once seen as a minor issue, had now escalated into a major political crisis in Baragudha. The panchayat members, united in their demand for change, had shown their collective power. They believed that the leaders had abused their positions of authority, and the tea cup incident had sparked a much larger fight for fairness, transparency and accountability.