Public properties defaced with political slogans in Kangra district

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, September 16

As the Assembly elections are nearing, public properties in Dharamsala are being defaced with posters, banners, slogans and graffiti of political parties. Slogans urging people to attend the Prime Minister’s rally in Mandi on September 24 have been painted on the walls of the Zonal Hospital, public toilets and other buildings in the city.

Even river rocks not spared

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• Congress hoardings and banners have been put up at all public places in city
• Parties have not even spared rocks in Kangra rivers, spoiling the natural beauty
• Hoardings of AAP seeking votes are visible on concrete crash barriers along the Dehra-Kangra NH

Hoardings of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeking votes are visible on concrete crash barriers along the Dehra-Kangra national highway. The Congress hoardings and banners have been put up at all public places in the city. Political parties have not even spared natural rocks in rivers in Kangra district, spoiling the natural beauty of the area.

Ramesh Sharma, a local resident, says, ‘The supporters of political parties have even painted slogans on the walls of private houses without the permission of the house owners but the authorities concerned have been a mute spectator. Someone has painted a political slogan on the outer wall of my house in Barol area. Now, I will have to bear the cost of getting the outer wall repainted. The government authorities should take action against people who are defacing public and private properties.”

Sunil Thakur, a resident of Kangra, says, “The Himachal Pradesh High Court has prohibited scarring of natural rocks in rivers and roads with paintings or any kind of advertisement. However, in the Dharamsala region, the authorities concerned seem to be indifferent to implementing court orders. Activists of political parties should be stopped from defacing natural rocks and public buildings.”

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal says that the departments concerned will be directed to remove political slogans painted on public properties. “Officials have been asked to take action against people who have painted graffiti on natural rocks in rivers and on roadside,” he adds.