Bitter at not being invited for its inauguration, a local Congress party leader used a hammer and smashed the plaque of the new health center. Vellanad Sasi, district panchayat member and former president of Vellanad grama panchayat destroyed public property in broad daylight and the videos have gone viral on social media. The Vellanad Kitangummal health center was inaugurated on the 11th of this month.
Sasi arrived armed with a chisel and a hammer and chipped at the plaque. The marble plaque broke into pieces and fell on the ground and Sasi was seen using the hammer to smash it into pieces. What prompted the attack is the fact that he was not invited as a special guest for the inauguration and the new plaque did not have his name. The incident happened in Thiruvananthapuram district and panchayat authorities filed a complaint with the Aryanad police.
The construction of the community health center began during the last administration’s term. In the run-up to the panchayat elections, though the structural work was still in progress, Sasi announced it open and invited Congress MP from Attingal Adoor Prakash and they ‘inaugurated’ the building.
When the new governing body came to power, the work of the sub-center was completed and a new plaque was installed. The earlier plaque was replaced and it was mentioned that the foundation stone was laid by the Congress leaders. Panchayat officials said that the district panchayat member was not invited as it was a simple function.
Interestingly, it the Congress itself that is ruling the panchayat now. Sasi’s brother is the panchayat vice president now. The health center was constructed using funds worth Rs. 50 lakhs from the central government scheme under the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission.