Lease row: Balbir Sidhu holds protest at gaushala in Balongi

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Mohali, July 11

Former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu today staged a protest outside Bal Gopal Gaushala in Balongi after the government cancelled the lease of 10 acres of panchayat land on which a trust has been set up by him.

The Congressman-turned BJP leader alleged that the orders were arbitrary and passed without giving any notice to the Trust. He claimed that the Tehsildar or the panchayat had to give notice before taking any action. “We will move court against this political vendetta by Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh and the AAP government,” he said.

Sidhu’s supporter and Chandigarh BJP leader Devinder Singh Babla had a tussle with the police after they tried to close the gate of the gaushala.

The District Development and Panchayat Officer, Mohali, was directed to recover the outstanding amount and deposit it in the account of the Gram Panchayat and take disciplinary action against the negligent officers in this regard.

Sources said as per the order passed on July 6 by Additional Chief Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat, Seema Jain, the Trust had taken around 10 acres of shamlat land from Gram Panchayat, Balongi, under the 33-year lease policy of the Punjab Government. The land was leased at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre under an agreement signed between the Rural Development and Panchayat Department and the Trust on October 7, 2020. The organisation has not deposited any lease amount since then, the officials said.