Congress activists, MLA block highway

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 9 

Congress activists today held a dharna against the filing of FIR against Municipal Council president Vinod Kumar Gupta outside the tehsil complex at Sultanpur Lodhi here today. 

Activists blocked the Sultanpur Lodhi-Kapurthala road for two hours this afternoon as they raised slogans against the Akali-BJP government as well SAD leader as well as former MLA and Cabinet Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur. 

Congress MLA Navtej Singh Cheema, who led the protest, said the SAD-BJP had resorted to petty politics over a trivial Rs 200 nameplate against a reputed leader like council president Vinod Kumar Gupta, for which the party would get an answer in the coming days.

He said while no action had been initiated in a case wherein a tractor worth lakhs of the Nagar Council was stolen two years ago but no action was initiated. However, in this case, an FIR was hurriedly got registered.        

He said the Congress will not be scared by any amount of cases being filed against them. Activists demanded that the case against Gupta be taken back failing which the Congress shall intensify its agitation.

Block presidents, members of the Municipal Council as well as MC Chairman Vinod Kumar Gupta himself were also present on the occasion. 

The issue was first highlighted yesterday after an FIR was registered against Vinod Kumar Gupta, the chairman of Municipal Council Sultanpur Lodhi under sections 427 and 379 of the IPC, for allegedly stealing and breaking a nameplate of the vice president of the council Sunita Dhir. While the FIR was registered last evening, the Congress has alleged that it is a false case lodged to harass the Congress Chief of the Municipal Council by Vice Chairman Sunita Dhir who - though formerly with the Congress - had recently shifted to the Shiromani Akali Dal. After MLA Navtej Singh Cheema and MC council members also took up the matter with SSP Kapurthala Rajinder Singh on Thursday, the SSP ordered an enquiry into the matter.