Mumbai: The state government’s decision to exclude October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, from the list of days when gram sabhas must be held has kicked off a controversy. Opposition parties have called it a conspiracy to ‘delete’ Gandhiji from the people's memory.

The state government issued a government resolution (GR) on April 27 mentioning the list of days when holding gram sabhas would be compulsory.

According to this GR, it is compulsory to hold gram sabhas on May 1 (Maharashtra Day), August 15  (Independence Day) and January 26 (Republic Day). But, in an earlier GR,  it was compulsory for elected body of village as well as gram sevaks to call meetings on October 2.

Opposition leaders have slammed the decision. “Gram Swaraj was initially Gandhiji's concept. The Panchayat Raj system in India is based on that concept. Removing the date of his jayanti from the gram sabha meeting list is atrocious. This shows how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hates Gandhiji and his values of governance,” said Dhananjay Munde, Opposition leader in the Legislative Council.

Maharashtra Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan also the slammed state government.

“This GR exposed the BJP's real face. They hate Gandhiji and his values like equality, peace and Gram Swaraj. This government must extend an apology for this brazen act,” he demanded.

According to the Panchayat Raj amendments in the Constitution, gram sabhas are important part of rural political life.