Grama Sabha meetings should be followed up and executed: Kamal

Chennai: Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan on Sunday said that merely increasing the number of gram sabha meetings will not help if the resolutions passed in these were not executed.

Addressing party cadres and media on the National Panchayat Raj Day, the Makkal Needhi Maiam President said that the gram sabhas are very important for a healthy democracy.

Addressing his party cadres and media through video conference on the National Panchayat Raj day, Haasan acknowledged the announcement of the Tamil Nadu government that the Grama Sabha sitting would be increased to six times a year and that the sitting fees of the ward members would see a fivefold increase.

While appreciating the announcements, the MNM leader also recorded his concerns over streamlined execution and transparency. “Merely increasing the count would not help. What would actually help is to ensure that the resolutions that are passed, are followed up and executed,” he said, insisting on transparency saying that the minutes of every Grama Sabha meeting should be uploaded online for the common man to see and refer as required.

He further pointed out that a smaller state like Kerala is already paying out a sitting fee which is much higher than the current fivefold increased fee. “Paying a decent fee would make the ward members more accountable and duty conscious,” he noted.

Hitting out at those calling MNM a B-team of the BJP, he said that those who criticised his party so were actually acting as a B-team of the BJP.

Haasan said that it is highly imperative that the current political dynamics must evoke a change that would make all the political parties march together with people as their goal.

“Opposition is not limited to criticising whatever the ruling party says or does; Opposition is that which lauds anything and everything that is proposed for the good of the people and which criticises anything that is done for manipulative self benefits rather than for the good of the people,” he declared.