Amritsar MP’s Rs 20 lakh donation to Chandigarh Golf Club sparks row

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

Amritsar Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla has courted controversy by donating Rs 20 lakh from his MPLAD fund to the Chandigarh Golf Club, with the Opposition SAD-BJP accusing him of “misusing” the fund meant for public-oriented development works.

Justifying his action, Aujla said as an MP he was allowed to donate up to Rs 25 lakh outside his constituency and the Deputy Commissioner has to ensure the donation was as per the provisions. At the same time, he said, many Army veterans, including those who fought wars, were members of the club.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Amritsar MP “cannot give money for any development work outside his constituency. It should be ascertained in lieu of which favour did he extend the MPLAD fund to the Chandigarh Golf Club by robbing the intended beneficiaries”.

Aujla, on his part, dared the Opposition to prove that he or his any family member had got benefit from the club.

“It is the responsibility of the DCs at Amritsar and Chandigarh to check proper utilisation of funds. 

I will ask for the utilisation certificate,” he said when asked about reports of funds being used to buy golf carts instead of sports equipment.

Amritsar DC Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said, “The MP asked for donating the money through MPLAD funds for sports purposes at Chandigarh. It was transferred to the Chandigarh DC. It was his jurisdiction to observe its final 

execution. Had there been any objection, the money would have come back, as the precedent goes.”

Chandigarh DC Ajit Bala Joshi did not respond to queries. BJP leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina questioned the rationale of donating MPLAD funds to Chandigarh Golf Club when a similar club existed in Amritsar. Aujla, meanwhile, asserted that he had spent over Rs 8 crore on development works.