BJP-backed councillor, MC Assistant Engineer scuffle
Una, November 3
A BJP-supported councillor and an Assistant Engineer of the Una Municipal Committee (MC) scuffled here today over the issue that BJP councillors, including MC president and vice-president, were not invited to the inaugural ceremony of a public work in the town yesterday.
The MC is undertaking the work to renovate the historic ‘Chaurasi Podian’, 84 stone slab steps that connect old Una city to the the Swan river tributary. Former Una MLA Satpal Raizada and former MC Chairman besides select councillors supported by the Congress were invited to the function.
Today, Janak Raj Khajanchi, councillor of Ward No. 5, went to the office of MC Assistant Engineer Rajinder Kumar Saini and asked him why all councillors were not invited to the inaugural function. A war of words started between the duo and soon they engaged in an exchange of blows and kicks. The staff present at the MC office intervened to stop the fight. The police were called which recorded the versions of the duo.
Khajanchi alleged that he had merely asked the Assistant Engineer as to why only a few councillors were invited to the function but the latter held him by his throat and tore his clothes in anger. “I only reacted to defend myself,” he said. On the other hand, Saini claimed that the councillor showered blows on him and even kicked him in his office without any provocation.
Saini said that he was an engineer and it was not his duty to send invitations, which was the job of the Executive Officer (EO). He added that since the post of Executive Officer was vacant, the SDM, Una, was holding the charge.
He said that even he received an invitation card at the last minute. Meanwhile, the police registered a case and sent both persons for a medical examination.
Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti blamed the MC officer for the incident. Satti, in a press note issued here, said that the MC was a democratic institution, having duly elected members, and outsiders should not be allowed to dictate or hijack its functioning. Satti said the BJP always respected people’s mandate and did not believe in creating political rifts in democratic institutions.
