Panchkula MC row: Mayor hits back, asks MC Commissioner to introspect

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

Hitting back at Panchkula Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dr Shaleen, who had accused her of intimidating him by citing her influence with the Chief Justice of India, Mayor Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia has asked the Commissioner to introspect and not to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.

“You have talked about me threatening you with inquiries and legal notices. The same is completely baseless and seems to be another attempt to overshadow your unwarranted act,” the Congress-supported Mayor has written to Dr Shaleen in response to his letter.

Ahluwalia further wrote, “Assuming this is correct, it is brought to your notice that it’s not been even a month since you joined this office and there is hardly any administrative decision taken by you. What possible issue can even be there for an inquiry against you? It seems you are working on similar lines like the previous Commissioner, who in order to serve the shallow interests of his local political masters had worked on their agendas and to defame this institution had brought this Corporation to a stand-off. A similar act of boycott of meeting by officers was done by the previous Commissioner during the House meeting dated October 25, 2016.”

Turning down the Commissioner’s demand for an apology, the Mayor retorted, “Therefore, in the said circumstances, the question of apology from my side doesn’t arise and instead the whole elected House/ councillors deserve an apology from you.”

She has sent the copies of her four-page letter to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Director of Urban Local Bodies Department, Divisional Ambala Commissioner, Panchkula Deputy Commissioner and all councillors.