Panchayat minister faces protest during visit to Fatehabad village

In a direct attack on the minister, Gill accused him of threatening some sarpanches and mounting pressure on them to adopt an e-tendering system, which was brought by the state government

Haryana development and panchayat minister Devender Singh Babli on Saturday faced protest from villagers during his visit to Samain village in Fatehabad’s Tohana. Villagers led by sarpanch Ranbir Singh Gill, who is the head of the Haryana Sarpanch Association, protested against Babli, who has reached the village to lead the “Vikshit Bharat Sankalp Yatra”.

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In a direct attack on the minister, Gill accused him of threatening some sarpanches and mounting pressure on them to adopt an e-tendering system, which was brought by the state government.

“Babli has been allotting tenders in panchayats to his close ones and they are looting public money. We have announced Babli’s boycott until the government revokes the e-tendering system and the right to recall. He threatened some village heads, who agreed to adopt e-tendering. This minister is responsible for destroying the Panchayati Raj System in Haryana,” Gill added.

He accused the BJP-JJP government of destroying children’s education by conducting their programmes in village schools. Heavy police force was deployed at Samain village to avert any mishaps.

Talking to media persons, Babli hit out at Gill and accused him of politicising every issue.

“Some sarpanches on the behest of the Opposition are protesting and they are creating hurdles in the development of villages. Our government is committed to ensuring all-round development,” he added.

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