AAP cries foul over open-air gym at public park

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 7

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has cried foul, accusing the SAD government of violating the model code of conduct by installing an open-air gymnasium at a Public Park in Model Town Extension.

Yesterday, a few persons arrived at Khurana Park and left weight-training machines there. Today, some workers entered the park and installed the machines. A volunteer of the AAP spotted them installing the open-air gymnasium and informed his party leaders.

Dharshan Singh Shankar, observer for Ludhiana Zone, said they would bring the matter to the notice of the Election Commission.

“We are not against the installation of health equipment which benefit the local residents. We are against the timing of installing the open-air gym as the model code of conduct has come into force. These are allurements before the election, but people are smart enough to understand this patty politics,” said Shankar.

“A few black sheep in the Municipal Corporation (MC) are still watching interests of their previous political masters. We will lodge a complaint against these employees,” said Shankar.

Munish Vinayak, a close aide of the Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjeet Bains, who is fighting elections from the Atam Nagar constituency, said Bains was today visiting the Dakha area for campaigning.

High drama in Ludhiana-East constituency

High drama took place in the Ludhiana-East constituency after AAP candidate Daljit Singh Bhola accused the police of misbehaviour with the party workers and stopping them form addressing people. The AAP leader, Darshan Singh Shankar, said the incident took place on Saturday evening when the AAP volunteers were addressing the local residents. “I was told that suddenly the police arrived there and stopped the volunteers from addressing the public. The matter was brought to the notice of Daljit Singh Bhola, who, along with his volunteers, visited the police station,” said Shankar.

Was installed before Code implementation: SAD

“The multipurpose gym was handed over to the respective park management committees and other organisations nearly a month ago. Since it takes nearly 15 days to lay the foundation for installing such gym machines, I cannot tell exactly  when the particular machine was installed,” said Gurmeet Kular, the SAD candidate from the Atam Nagar constituency. The local SAD unit said the machine was installed on January 4, before the implementation of the model code of conduct.