Won’t allow 51 members to vote: Sharma

By Paritosh Pramanik
Nagpur, Oct 15
DEMANDING an explanation from secretary DS Karunashankar as to why the Deputy Charity Commissioner’s judgement on 51 members was kept under wraps for 16 months, VHA treasurer Shyam Sharma, vice-president TN Sidhra, Kishor Goydani and executive member Sanjay Lokhande have decided to appeal against the decision and stop the ‘new members’ to contest and vote in the association’s elections. VHA polls are scheduled in the third week of November.
On Wednesday, VHA had decided to incorporate 51 members who were made life members in 1989.
The Deputy Charity Commissioner’s decision along with the order copy were submitted to VHA by former VHA incharge secretary, GM Pillay along with a letter to incorporate the members. The same was put before the executive committee on Wednesday and the decision was taken to include them.
Certified copy of that order was procured by DS Karunashankar.
According to VHA treasurer Shyam Sharma, he along with three other members of the executive committee—Vice-presidents Sidhra, Goydani and Lokhande—opposed the decision to incorporate those 51 members.
“We are not talking about the order (the judgement). We questioned the adoption of the list of 51 members. We are definitely against the adoption.
“President (Radheshyam) Sarda is giving wrong statements that nobody opposed the adoption of the list of members. They are telling lies. I asked them to show the rough proceedings they wrote before finalising the minutes. He (Sarda) asked to write ‘some of the members were against it’. I interfered and asked to write that I am opposing it. I am ready to face the consequences,” said Sharma, while speaking about the proceedings of the meeting.
“Reports say the decision was unanimous. It is completely false. We are totally against the decision to incorporate the members,” Sharma told ‘The Hitavada’ on Thursday.
When asked the reason for their opposition to the adoption of the members, Sharma said it is only because of the timing of presenting the list of members.
VHA elections are going to be held in November and, in all probability, the 51 members, most of whom are from Sadar, Chhaoni and New Colony, would support the Sadar-based group.
“The reason to oppose the adoption is that when the certified copy of the judgement was procured by (DS) Karunashankar in May 2015 why did he keep it under wraps till last Sunday. Suddenly they come up with the list of members and order. Why was it not put before the committee when he got the copy of the judgement 16 months back,” Sharma asked.
When asked whether he was not aware of the judgement despite being one of the intervenors along with Vinod Gawai, Sharma accused Karunashankar of misleading him.
During the proceedings of the case, Sharma and Karunashankar were in opposite groups.
“He (Karunashankar) cheated and misled me. At that time Karunashankar told me he had given ‘No Objection’ in this case. But he gave no objection to the application which was filed for the change in tenure of the executive body from one to four years,” said Sharma.
“I only want to know what were they doing with the judgement for 16 months. Why didn’t they take the executive committee in confidence. That’s why we opposed the adoption.”
Sharma said he will discuss the matter with all other members of his group and then take decision whether to move higher court or not.
“Definitely, I will talk with Gawai, Sidhra and other members and then would decide whether to file an application in higher court”.
The VHA treasurer dared that they would not allow the members to vote in the elections.
“We will not allow these 51 members to be part of the ensuing elections. We are going to oppose their participation,” he concluded.