Tensions escalate in Sirsa as Congress MLA again hurls barbs at District Council CEO

Congress MLA Gokul Setia has intensified his attack on District Council CEO Subhash Chandra.

The clash escalated after a dramatic car chase on Tuesday, wherein the MLA allegedly went live on Facebook while chasing the CEO’s car. This was followed by a series of social media posts by the MLA, warning the officer and accusing him of avoiding responsibilities.

Setia has, in multiple Facebook posts, again publicly criticised the CEO, accusing him of being absent from his duties and hiding behind air-conditioned offices, instead of working on ground.

In one post, he warned: “You’ve broken enough chairs in AC rooms. Now, we’ll take you to the streets.”

He further threatened to confront the CEO at his office during the Chief Minister’s upcoming visit, and vowed to raise the issue in the Haryana Assembly. The controversy garnered significant attention after Setia posted an old photo of the CEO allegedly being questioned by vigilance authorities, intensifying his campaign against what he calls “non-performing bureaucrats”.

In response, Chandra said he had informed higher authorities, and maintained that his role covered over 360 villages, requiring significant time and travel.

He added that he held no grudges against the MLA and claimed that he did not stop during the alleged chase because he was in a private vehicle and didn’t feel safe.

“The MLA could have simply called or messaged; I usually respond to such communication,” he said.

The matter has now drawn the attention of the local panchayats.

On Wednesday, the Sirsa District Sarpanch Association held a meeting and formed a 10-member committee to mediate between the parties.

The Sarpanches submitted a memorandum to the ADC, urging for resolution to avoid administrative disruption and “further public embarrassment”. With Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini set to visit Sirsa on August 24, the situation is drawing heightened attention from both political and administrative circles.

All eyes are now on whether the sarpanch-led mediation can defuse the tensions or if the clash will escalate further.

• MLA Gokul Setia has accused Zila Parishad CEO Subhash Chandra of misusing the Kumhar community for political motives by gathering sarpanches to provoke opposition against him

• Criticising the CEO, he said Chandra was acting like a politician, and suggested that he leave his official post if “he was so interested in politics”

• Setia questioned the CEO’s loyalty to the community, claiming poor development in Kelania village — which has a large Kumhar population

• Setia urged the community to think wisely, claiming that such officials exploited their own community for personal gain and were not truly loyal to anyone

  Chandra misusing Kumhar community for political gain: Setia