Congress protests over civic issues outside Amritsar municipal corporation office

Amritsar, May 24

Congress leaders, including Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla, former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni, former MLAs Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Raj Kumar Verka, Sunil Dutti and Jugal Kishore Sharma, today protested against problems of tardy lifting of garbage, choked sewers and poor roads which the city had been facing.

Protest an election stunt: BJP

Punjab BJP spokesperson Sarchand Singh said Congress leaders, who protested while sitting on chairs over the problem of garbage and choked sewers, did an election stunt. They were trying to fool the public. He said Aujla was Member of Parliament from Amritsar for last seven years, but he failed to address these basic issues. The Congress was equally responsible for not addressing the civic issues, he said.

Aujla claims that civic conditions of the city were bad due to absence of elected representatives in the General House of the municipal corporation for past two years.

Congress leaders under the banner of Punjab Pradesh Congress (Urban) first demonstrated against the state government at Ranjit Avenue. Later they held a protest march till the office of MC. A large number of Congress leaders and workers participated in the march.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Aujla said for the last two years, there was neither mayor nor responsible government in the city. Piles of garbage, contaminated drinking water supply and choked sewers were the signs of the change that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had brought in the state, he said.

“The AAP government has failed to provide basic facilities in the city. The whole city has turned into a garbage dump. Due to mismanagement, there are frequent traffic jams in the city. The AAP government is not conducting elections of gram panchayats, municipal councils and municipal corporations because its leaders fear defeat in these polls. The government has abandoned the city,” said Aujla.

He said, “During my campaigning for elections, the first thing people mention is the garbage problem in the city. Today, we raised voice against the government, which is turning a blind eye to public issues. I appeal to the people to support the Congress so that basic facilities can be provided in the city.”

Congress leaders Vikas Soni, Mamta Dutta, Dinesh Bassi, Raman Bakshi, Sunpreet Aujla, Harmandeep Sidhu, Harpan Aujla and Narendra Tung also addressed the protesters.