Mysuru:  Former Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, inaugurated the seminar on ‘Panchayat Raj Organisations and Atrocities of the Union Government,’ organised by Karnataka State Gram Panchayat Employees Union, affiliated to CITU at Dewan Poornaiah Memorial Bhavan on Mahatma Gandhi Road here this morning.

Speaking after inaugurating the seminar, Mahadevappa said that there were more than 5 lakh villages in the country and added that the development of villages was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi besides stating that Dr.B.R. Ambedkar too had said that the development of the country should begin from villages.

Continuing, he said that former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi had brought amendments to Articles 73 and 74 of the Indian Constitution during his tenure as the PM to strengthen the Panchayat Raj system and alleged that the Union Government in the Centre was trying to stop the funds being given to Panchayat Raj.

Dr. Mahadevappa said that the demonitisation had broken the backbone of the rural economy thus destroying it.

Prof.Dr. Chandra Poojary, Department of development Studies, Hampi Kannada University, former MLA and CPI(M) state Committee Secretary G.V. Srinivasa Reddy, Karnataka State Gram Panchayat Employees Union State President Maruthi Manpade and others were present.

Yesterday, the three-day 7th State Conference of Gram Panchayat Employees organised by Karnataka State Gram Panchayat Employees Union was inaugurated by CITU State Committee Vice-President V.J. K.Nair at Town Hall premises.

In his inaugural address, Nair opined that Gram Panchayat employees were not being treated as government employees and regretted that the concept of minimum wage was not implemented for GP employees.

Yesterday, a massive rally was taken out by the participants from Freedom Fighters Park to Town Hall in which thousands of GP employees from across the State participated.