Panchayat register apart and will not let me work. I complained to the local
police station, the police recorded my testimony, but did not lodge an FIR.
They left the accused with a warning.Within two months of my getting financial powers as the President, complaints
started pouring in to the SDM’s Office against me. The main complainants,
the Deputy President, and the Panchayat members wanted me to give them
half the Panchayat money. I told them to get the orders from above in order
to get the money. Based on their complaints, a case was registered against me.
I issued a show-cause notice in which I was accused of indulging in financial
irregularities. I was scared at first and went to the local MLA for help. He
assured me that he would talk to the SDM, but when no help came forth, I
mustered up courage and appeared for the first hearing in the Court. Later, I
employed a lawyer, for Rs.4000 to fight my case. I went to the Court 20 times
in a span of one and half years. When the Panchayat Inspector came for an
enquiry, I showed him our records and he was satisfied. However, I used to be
regularly bullied by the complainants at the hearings and they threatened to
destroy all the Panchayats’ records.On 26 January 2008, I received a death threat. However, I continued,
undeterred. When a new SDM took charge of the Block, he came to inspect
the ongoing construction work under NREgA without any prior notice.
The SDM summoned the main complainant on the spot, while I explained
to him that the complainants were only coercing me for a bribe. The SDM
ran a thorough enquiry into all points of allegations against me and asked
the beneficiaries of various Schemes if they were receiving their benefits.
After being satisfied with the response, he immediately ordered the opening
of the Panchayat Bhawan, which had been sealed for two years - this was a
big victory for me.I benefited a lot from the various training programs I received. I did not
know anything about the outside world except for labour work. Earlier, I did
not know anything about the gram Sabha and I had not even seen any other
women going to it either. I now ensure that when a gram Sabha is held, at