Administration yet to react to Narangwal panchayat’s 2 controversial resolutions

Acting ultra vires, the panchayat at Narangwal Kalan village has announced the debarring of members of all migrant families living within its jurisdiction from getting enrolled as a voter. It has also resolved to oust two migrant families as their minor children had committed thefts at a religious place of the village.

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Though videos regarding the dictates by sarpanch Manjinder Mani Grewal at the conclusion of the general body meeting (Aam Izlas) of the panchayat have gone viral on social media, the administration is yet to react to the controversial action of the village panchayat.

Dehlon BDPO Jastinder Singh Jhall said the decision about the implementation or rejection of the controversial resolutions would be taken after consulting senior functionaries in the department. “As we are yet to receive the proceedings of the meeting reportedly held on Tuesday, we are not in a position to react in the matter,” said Jhall while talking to The Tribune.

Sarpanch Grewal said the decision to oust two migrant families of the village was taken in a meeting of the panchayat that was held on Tuesday. It was also decided unanimously that no migrant would be allowed to enrol as a voter at the village in future, said Grewal.

“Having caught two minor children of migrant families committing theft at a religious place situated on Lohgarh Road red-handed, the villagers resolved that these families should be asked to leave the village within 24 hours so that other children don’t imitate those in question,” said Grewal, adding that the then panchayat had imposed fines against these families for similar allegations in June 2022 and cautioned against continuance of illegal activities.

Grewal had caught limelight after his social media posts about the strict stand against drug peddlers of the village drew the attention of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, leading to midnight demolition drive under supervision of Ludhiana (Rural) SSP Ankur Gupta. The video showing the Chief Minister talking to Grewal had also gone viral in the region then.

Even as the time given to migrant families to leave the village has lapsed, Grewal maintained that one family had left and the other was in search of a house outside the village.

Although the said minor children and their parents were present in the said meeting and they had shown their inability to leave the village immediately, neither of the families had approached the administration to contest the said decision.