Journalism of Courage
The Professionals Party of India (PPI) has taken strong objection to the manner in which they feel provisions of the law regarding prabhag samitis are allegedly being subverted for political gain by the powers-that- be in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
This happened 5 years ago also and is now being repeated with impunity. The law gives wider representation and expertise at the local governance level. The Prabhag Samitis in the municipal corporations are to be formed so that elected members of political parties are assisted in decision-making at the municipal ward level by apolitical activists and experts in their specialised fields, said D V R Rao,General secretary of PPI. This helps in the possible questioning of the activities of politicians who have vested interests,he said adding that to avoid this possible embarrassment,the political parties ensure that Prabhag Samitis have their followers from hastily formed charitable trusts instead off taking on genuine social workers,activists and experts from NGOs who had been doing good service in this field for years and who are in touch with the ground realities.
The so called activists who have been nominated to the Prabhag Samitis are virtually unknown to large sections of the voters and citizens in their geographic areas of interest. They will only support the agenda of the elected representatives instead of voicing the needs of the different sections of the populace,Rao said.
