Under fire from AAP, BJP targets Punjab govt on Smart City scam

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, April 28

Amidst the campaign for LS polls, the BJP has stepped up its attacks on AAP over the ‘smart city’ scam in Jalandhar.

With BJP candidate Sushil Rinku’s party hopping invited scathing attacks from CM Bhagwant Mann during his road show in Jalandhar on Friday, the BJP has taken up the issue of the alleged over Rs 600 crore Jalandhar Smart City scam ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP leaders on Friday wrote to the state Governor alleging corruption in the Smart City Project seeking a CBI probe based on a CAG audit report.

While BJP candidate Sushil Rinku who was with AAP until a month ago, has himself come under question by the Aam Admi Party over the lack of development during his year long tenure as MP, Rinku has in turn begun targeting his former party repeatedly on the lack of development and infrastructure.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jalandhar leaders, including Manoranajn Kalia and KD Bhandari, on Friday submitted a memorandum to the District Election Officer-cum-DC Himanshu Aggarwal, addressed to state Governor, seeking an investigation by the CBI/Enforcement Directorate into alleged financial mismanagement in utilisation of Rs 638 crore worth of funds given by the Modi-led Central government for the Smart City Project in Jalandhar.

The BJP complaint alleged that as per CAG audit report, an amount of Rs 693 crore (dedicated by Centre) was received under the Smart City Project and amount of Rs 618.13 crore had been shown already spent on the project, but ground reality of development works in Jalandhar city denotes nil visibility of the usage of the said money.

Meanwhile, after CM Bhagwant Mann addressed him as a ‘traitor’ during his road show speech, Sushil Rinku took to an FB live on the same evening in Jalandhar, to show a lack of streetlights on the highway. A day earlier, he also did another FB live showing dirty, garbage-strewn streets in Jalandhar and traffic jams. Also facing protests from farmers, the BJP candidate has been taking up the MC Jalandhar inaction prominently during these live sessions. Rinku’s jibes have been in keeping with the BJP’s repeated claims that culprits of smart city scam won’t be spared.

In January this year, BJP leaders wrote to Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on the issue. Meghwal further sought inquiry and action against guilty in the smart city scam, writing to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, during his recent visit to Jalandhar also said the matter was under probe and the guilty in Jalandhar Smart City funds’ alleged embezzlement with face action soon.

Rs 618 crore scam in Jalandhar

In their complaint to the Governor, Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that as per Comptroller and Auditor General’s audit report, an amount of Rs 693 crore (allocated by BJP-led Central Government) was received under the Smart City Project and amount of Rs 618.13 crore had been shown as spent on the project, but ground reality of development works in Jalandhar city denotes nil visibility of the usage of the said money.

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