Bid to ‘influence’ voters, LPG kits seized

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, January 7

Acting on a complaint by a resident of Panjkosi village,  whose sarpanch is nephew of a BJP minister, a team of state government officials today raided the village panchayat ghar and seized 44 stoves and cylinders.

Ahead of elections, the distribution of LPG kits had been going on for the past two weeks on a war-footing, sources said.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jaspreet Singh directed the flying squad to examine whether LPG kits were being distributed in Panjkosi village to women from BPL families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The team comprising Assistant Food and Supplies Officer Bhupinder Singh, Naib Tehsildar Jaswinder Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Baljit Singh raided the panchayat ghar and took the LPG kits into custody that were being distributed by an Azamwala village-based private gas agency.

The kits have been stacked in Khuyiansarwer police station, an inquiry is in progress and the Returning Officers concerned have been informed.

The gas agency staff said that the distribution of LPG kits had been going on under the central government-sponsored scheme and no politics was involved. 

After the raid, all the gas agencies have decided to suspend the distribution of kits.

BJP and SAD leaders had posed for photo sessions with the beneficiaries to claim credit on the eve of the Assembly elections. They had also distributed hundreds of sports kits to win over the youth. 

Badal’s pic still on PRTC buses

Patiala: Even as the model code of conduct is in force, slogans and pictures of the ruling Akali Dal can still be seen on PRTC buses. While a number of buses sport the picture of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, party’s tagline “Raj nahi sewa” is seen painted on several others. PRTC Managing Director Ravinder Singh said they had ensured that all such advertisements were either covered or removed. If at all some buses were left, they would get every bit of such publicity removed by Sunday, he added. tns