Belagavi Mayor and BJP leader Shobha Payappa Somanache has written to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot with a complaint that district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi is interfering in the city administration and making it difficult for her to work independently or fearlessly.
She said that some officers in the Belagavi City Corporation have purposefully erred in preparing documents that were sent to the State government. This has led to the State government issuing a show-cause notice to the Belagavi City Corporation, with a warning that it will supersede the local body.
Corporation council members have passed a resolution recommending legal action against those officials who have made the mistake. “We have filed complaints against them with the UPSC, DoPT and DPAR,” she said.
However, Satish Jarkiholi has opposed this. He has openly threatened to dismiss the city corporation if action is initiated against the officials concerned. Such a statement has not only created unrest among corporation council members but also the six lakh residents of the city, she said.
“As a woman, I find it difficult to carry out my administrative duties in such an atmosphere. We want to discuss all such matters with you,” she said and sought an appointment.
The Mayor later told journalists that she will soon lead a delegation of city corporation members to the Governor.
Charge denied
Meanwhile, Satish Jarkiholi denied the Mayor’s charge.
He said that the Mayor is functioning under the influence of BJP leader and MLA Abhay Patil and is indulging in party politics and not taking up development works.
He said that Mr. Patil is trying to blackmail officials to force them to carry out illegal instructions that he as given them.
“Mr. Patil is an old hand in blackmailing officials. He has forced the Mayor to write a letter to the UPSC against corporation commissioner Ashok Dudagunti only to stop the officer’s promotion to the Indian Administrative Service. This is gross injustice and it will not be tolerated,” Satish Jarkiholi said.
He said that a complaint has been filed with the police by corporation officials against fudging of some important documents that belong to the corporation. The police are seeking legal opinion in the matter and they will investigate it completely, he said.
Protest rally
Meanwhile, members of some Dalit organisations took out a protest rally against Mr. Patil in Belagavi on Wednesday. They said that Mr. Patil is using blackmailing tactics to intimidate Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes officers in the city corporation who refused to toe his line.
