This Nanded sarpanch packs some punch

Karkale, a graduate in Marathi, was overlooked in favour of Sangita Gaikwad, a poor Chambar woman who could not even sign her name. The dominance of the Maratha zamindari, led by Bhalchandra Apasaheb Naik, continued as if nothing had changed with the 73rd amendment, for he became the up-sarpanch deputy sarpanch and controlled the village in Gaikwad8217;s name. Last year, a few days after she unfurled the flag on August 15, Gaikwad died mysteriously. Karkale seized the opportunity, played a rather naive brand of politics and seized the sarpanch8217;s seat last September.

From that day on, Karkale has seen nothing but unmasked terror, character assassination and every hurdle possible in carrying out her functions. About a month back, her brother forced her to choose between being the sarpanch and her home. She chose the former. 8216;8216;I now live in Kandhar, the taluka headquarters, with my elder sister and mother. It takes two hours to come to the village and return but I do it. Despite this, the Naiks are spreading rumours about me, insinuating relationships with men because I am a single woman and I have not let them carry out their own agenda in the panchayat,8217;8217; she says, with a toughness belying her age.

In fact, the day she was elected, she was almost killed within the panchayat premises as a large group of men, reportedly at Naik8217;s behest, crowded around the office and threw stones. Later, Naik locked the sarpanch8217;s office-room, refused to hand over the key to her and hastily wiped off the 8216;sarpanch8217; signboard. Villagers say he uses the office-room as his own, whenever he visits the panchayat. Worse, he signs as the village sarpanch on official documents, permits and certificates. It8217;s no coincidence that most villagers refer to him and his cousin as Malak owner. Karkale8217;s strife began years ago, when she refused to call him Malak.

8216;8216;What can I do if people come to me? Should I tell them to go to the sarpanchbai everytime? I have powers and I will exercise them,8217;8217; says Naik, sitting monarch-like in the drawing room of his haveli, asking men gathered there if he was inflicting injustice on Karkale. 8216;8216;Nahi Malak8217;8217; they reply in one voice and rush into colourful versions of Karkale8217;s character. He and his group of eight members refuse to attend the monthly panchayat meetings despite Karkale sending the mandatory notices. Says Padmakar Kendre, deputy CEO, Nanded, 8216;8216;this alone is enough for their disqualification but the sarpanch has to initiate proceedings.8217;8217;

That is a tough call for Karkale. Already, her life is disrupted. If she seeks to throw out Naik and his group, she risks being black-listed by the village for turning against the Malak. 8216;8216;Initially my brother was okay. He was the one who educated me, told me to go ahead and fight the panchayat election. Then, as I started asserting myself in the panchayat, Naik and his men wooed my brother, fed him booze and salacious stories about me. We began to have fights,8217;8217; Karkale recalls, 8216;8216;Last month, he gave me an ultimatum. He was drunk on their liquor, my mother asked him to cool down but8230;after all that, how can I return? Besides, he hasn8217;t even asked me to come back. He doesn8217;t even talk now. We didn8217;t even observe Raksha Bandhan this year.8217;8217; Sambhaji chose not to comment. Amidst the tension, Karkale has started projects for the village and found time to document the harassment from the Naiks. She has written to the CEO of Nanded division, Collector of Nanded, Block Development Officer at Kandhar, Police Inspector of Kandhar, Superintendent of Police at Nanded. But except for some tea and sympathy from some, she has got little else. The police have not even registered a complaint against misuse of office and power by Naik. Using the sarpanch8217;s stamp is a criminal offence but, says Police Inspector C S Rajput, 8216;8216;Who is to decide that it8217;s an offence? I and I don8217;t think it8217;s one.8217;8217; Karkale alleges he is under Naik8217;s influence as well.

If she cannot work in the panchayat, if she doesn8217;t live in the village, she stands to lose the next election. A moment that Naik, the de facto establishment in Pethvadaz, is

waiting for.