Withdraw FIR against sarpanches: Bhupinder Hooda

Chandigarh, March 3

Mounting an attack on the BJP-JJP government, former CM Bhupinder Hooda today demanded the withdrawal of the FIR against sarpanches who were booked on March 1 by the Panchkula police when they were on their way to the CM’s residence.

Talking to mediapersons, Hooda today said the e-tendering system imposed on panchayats was not correct. He said the coalition government was steeped in corruption and that is why, in the name of e-tendering, the government wanted to establish a base of corruption even in the Panchayati Raj system.

“When the panchayat representatives opposed this, the government tried to suppress their voice with the brute force. Instead of accepting the demands of sarpanches, the government registered an FIR against them. The Congress will meet and submit a memorandum to the Governor on March 6 ain this regard,” he said.

Meanwhile, AAP held protests in Ambala, Karnal, Hisar, and Gurugram against the police action on sarpanches. AAP activists raised slogans against the government and burnt the effigies of CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala.

Sarpanches have been demanding to raise their spending limit from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. They say no development work can be carried out in Rs 2 lakh in a village. “Panches and sarpanches, despite being educated, will become puppets in the hands of contractors. Instead of e-tendering, the panchayats should be allowed to carry out development works independently,” they said. — TNS  

About e-tendering

It’s a procurement system where items are electronically procured by floating tenders on the net. It reduces the tendering cycle. In Feb 2021, it was introduced in panchayat works, but new representatives are opposing it, citing reduction in power. They are demanding to raise their spending limit from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 50 lakh

Government’s take

The state says it has introduced e-tendering for infra projects in villages to ensure transparency, accountability & faster execution. Under this, the panchayats can carry out works up to Rs 2 lakh on their own. Earlier, the spending limit was up to Rs 20 lakh. Projects of higher value have to be carried out through e-tendering

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