Our phones being tapped by Punjab AAP: BJP's Chandigarh councillors

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, July 26

Councillors of the BJP Saurabh Joshi and Kanwarjit Singh Rana have alleged they are being threatened with implication in false cases and their phones are being tapped by AAP in Punjab. They made these allegations during a General House meeting of the MC today.

The councillors also alleged AAP Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor’s phone was also being tapped as his party felt he might shift to some other party. However, AAP said these allegations were baseless.

No auction of taxi stands

House resolved that there would be no e-auction of 61 taxi stands in the city. The councillors decided the occupants can stay put for five years and the defaulters can be given one more year to clear their dues.

New agency to be hired for recruitment

A new agency will be hired through tender to replace Radha Krishan Co-Op Labour and Construction Study Ltd, against which, according to MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra, several complaints, including late release of salary of the outsourced staff, were received by the officer. The recruited staff will not be affected by this replacement.

“Our phones are being tapped. Unidentified people keep roaming around our houses. The CID is keeping an eye on us. We are getting phone calls from Punjab and the callers threaten us with implication in false cases. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is misusing the state machinery,” alleged Joshi while addressing the Mayor in the House.

Rana alleged, “Not just ours, Mayor sahab your phone is also being tapped. Your party fears you may shift loyalties. The matter must be probed.”

Joshi said a complaint in writing had been submitted to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, adding that they were being attacked as they had been vocal in the MC House raising people’s issues.

Replying to these allegations, AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra said, “It is laughable and I am not able to digest it. The BJP rules the entire country and yet you are scared.”

T-20 cricket echoes in House

AAP councillors took exception to city BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra having been invited as the guest of honour for the inaugural event of the UT Cricket Association’s T-20 meet. They said UTCA president and senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon took financial help from the MC and should have invited the Mayor or, for that matter, the MP or a councillor as the guest of honour. The BJP councillors said the association was a private body.

Cong councillor squats in well

In an embarrassment to INDIA bloc’s councillors and the Mayor, Congress councillor Jasbir Singh Bunty squatted in the well of the House holding a placard that read: “I am hurt, my agendas are not being brought up in the meeting.”

Finding a political opportunity, BJP councillors joined him, shouting “shame, shame”. Bunty said, “I am not against the Mayor. Officers do not listen to the Mayor as well. They are not putting up my agendas.” After assurance that his agendas will be brought up in the next meeting, all went back to their seats.

Masih issue raked up again

There was a ruckus in the House when nominated councillor Anil Masih rose up to ask if there was no coordination between officers and councillors of a committee with regard to a particular agenda. Taking a potshot at Masih, AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra said, “Coordination was good when you rigged the ballots to make BJP’s Mayor victorious.”

Objecting to Dhingra’s remark, BJP councillors stood up and said the Mayor should make it clear whether the nominated councillors should speak or not. The Mayor pacified them by saying, “Let’s not take up issues which are sub judice.” Masih was attacked in the last meeting too.

Fresh sanitation tender

The MC House also approved a fresh tender to be floated next year for GIS-based mechanised and manual sweeping of roads in the southern sectors. Following the Audit Department’s observation, the MC had held back Rs 12 crore of Lion Services Limited of Lion Services Limited, which has now submitted that it does not want to continue after March 31 next year.