Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, Mayor Kuldeep Kumar skip Amit Shah’s water project launch event

Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 4
Local MP Manish Tewari and Mayor Kuldeep Kumar skipped the launch of 24x7 water supply pilot project by Home Minister Amit Shah in Mani Majra today.
Though there was no comment from Tewari on his absence from the programme, the Mayor said he boycotted the event since the BJP had hindered the proposal to provide free 20,000 litres of water to the residents of Chandigarh.
“The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation twice passed a proposal to provide free 20,000 litres of water to the city residents, but the BJP deliberately obstructed it to deprive the city residents of this benefit. Loans worth crores of rupees are being taken for the 24-hour water supply project, the entire burden of which will fall on the residents of Chandigarh,” said the Mayor.

BJP deprived city residents of free water

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The MC twice passed a proposal to provide free 20,000 litres of water to the city residents, but the BJP deliberately obstructed it both times. Loans worth crores of rupees are being taken for the 24-hour water supply project, the entire burden of which will fall on the residents of Chandigarh. — Kuldeep Kumar, Mayor

He also said his as well as the MP’s name was not mentioned on the invitation card for the inauguration programme. “The Mayor and the MP belong to all residents. Not mentioning their names on the invitation is an insult to all residents. The BJP is yet to recover from the shock of losing the mayoral as well as Lok Sabha elections, which is why it is resorting to such tactics through administrative officials," he alleged. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, former BJP MP Kirron Kher and Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu shared the dais with Shah. Kuljeet Singh Sandhu, Senior Deputy Mayor, who is from the BJP, was also present on the dais. No councillors from parties other than the BJP were seen at the event.
A few minutes after the Home Minister arrived at the venue, the officers concerned were seen arranging more chairs on the dais. During his address, Shah even asked Kher to stand and greet people. He appreciated her for pursuing the project during her term.
Reacting to the absence of the Mayor and the MP from the event, city BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra said, "They are liars. They have failed to fulfil freebie promises after coming to power in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. They are only playing politics over this matter. They should stand with development. Do they have a problem if residents of Mani Majra get clean water supply 24x7? The public is watching them."