4 days ago
Ludhiana MC: Oppn joins BJP's protest against mayor on Day 5
The ongoing protest by BJP councillors and leaders at municipal corporation Zone D witnessed extensive support from opposition parties as the demonstration enters the fifth day on Tuesday. The demonstrators are demanding that mayor Inderjit Kaur take immediate steps to resume stalled development works in city wards, claiming public services are being severely affected. Senior BJP leader Shwait Malik along with local leaders staged a protest at MC Zone D office against the mayor in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)
Criticism from SAD leadership
Former Akali Dal MLA Ranjit Singh Dhillon also weighed in, taking a dig at both the mayor and councillors over the ongoing standoff. 'It takes patience and coordination to represent thousands. The cancellation of the F&CC meeting recently shows a lack of seriousness toward Ludhiana's issues,' he said.
Dhillon highlighted the city's worsening condition including poor sewage systems, broken roads, unclean surroundings, and water quality concerns. He criticised the ongoing political blame game, saying it was unclear whether it would yield any results for the city.
Drawing comparisons, Dhillon praised former SAD mayors Apinder Singh Grewal, Hakam Singh Giaspura, and Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, under whose leadership Ludhiana reportedly achieved 100% sewerage coverage, extensive road and lighting development, mass hiring of sanitation workers, and the construction of elevated roads and fogging systems. He alleged that the present administration had failed even to maintain that progress.
Congress backs BJP's stand
In a surprising political turn, Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti, along with several former councillors, joined the protest on Tuesday. Bhatti raised concerns over the recent transfer of a sanitation worker, who he claimed was targeted despite being dedicated to his duties.
He warned that if the transfer orders were not revoked immediately, Congress councillors would be forced to launch a parallel protest outside the MC Zone B office. Bhatti further demanded that the Municipal Corporation pass a resolution to ensure councillors are consulted before any sanitation worker is transferred from their ward.
BJP district president Rajnesh Dhiman reaffirmed that the protest is not politically driven but focused on genuine public issues. 'We are fighting for the people. The mayor must come and resolve this matter,' he said.
The protest also saw the arrival of former state BJP president and ex-Amritsar mayor Shwait Malik, who criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. 'The people who were rejected in Delhi are now governing Punjab like dictators,' he said. Malik added that councillors from all parties have the right to demand development in their wards, and accused the government of trying to 'break the morale' of BJP leaders by lodging FIRs against them. 'But BJP is not a party that bows to pressure,' he asserted.
Dy mayor attempts mediation
Later in the evening, deputy mayor Prince Johar visited the protest site and appealed for resolution through communication. He offered juice to the protesters as a gesture of goodwill and listened to their concerns.
BJP district president Rajnesh Dhiman briefed Johar on the issue and reiterated the party's willingness to engage in talks but only directly with the mayor. The deputy mayor requested a day's time to speak with the mayor and work toward a resolution.
Protest a political stunt: Mayor
Mayor Inderjit Kaur dismissed the protest as a political stunt, stating that the BJP leaders were intentionally creating a scene. She reiterated that her office is open for dialogue and claimed she has never refused to resolve any councillor's genuine concerns. 'If senior leadership is visiting Ludhiana, they should carefully consider what is right and wrong,' she said.
Box
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday held protests in eight different wards of the city, raising various civic issues including poor sanitation, damaged roads, and lack of basic amenities.
Party councillors and local workers led the demonstrations in their respective areas. They alleged that the city's infrastructure was in shambles despite claims of development under the Smart City project.
Councillor Rohit Sikka from Ward No. 66 took part in the protest near his residence, where heaps of garbage were reportedly lying unattended for days. Sikka, along with around 100 volunteers and his family members, cleaned the area themselves before launching the protest. He said that such protests would be held in other wards too to bring attention to similar issues.
District BJP president Rajnesh Dhiman, who addressed the protestors, said the party would organise demonstrations in different wards every day. 'People deserve to know what actual development has taken place in the last three-and-a-half years under the Smart City mission. AAP's promises have turned out to be hollow. The ground reality shows broken roads and poor civic conditions despite citizens paying crores in taxes,' he said.
Several councillors and BJP workers from the respective wards participated in the protests and pledged to continue raising public issues across the city in the coming days.
