Names of Cong councillors missing on foundation stones, protests continue

Politics over the names of councillors of the Opposition going missing in the plaques of foundation stones being laid during various inauguration functions in the city continues to get flared up.

The Congress has announced to hold an agitation over the matter in front of the Municipal Corporation tomorrow morning. Congress MLA Pargat Singh had already taken up the matter with Mayor Vaneet Dhir and Commissioner Sandeep Behl about two weeks back. Pargat Singh had shown them pictures, saying that while the elected councillors were being ignored with no invitation being extended to them and their names missing at the inaugural events, the ward in-charges of AAP were being given importance.

District Congress Committee chief Rajinder Beri said the person who holds a constitutional post should be given due respect, even though he could be from a rival party. He said the latest case emerged in Ward no. 2 wherein Congress councillor Harpreet Walia was not extended any invite for the inauguration of work to lay sewer lines in the Reru area.

"His name was also not put up on the plaque whereas the AAP ward in-charge Vijay Bhatia's name had been put up. This is unjustified and unconstitutional", said Beri. The party has alleged that the local AAP MLAs and halqa in-charges were involved in such 'mischievous games'.

Congress councillor Jasleen Sethi too said, "My name too was missing from the foundation stone for the road relaying work in New Jawahar Nagar area. So when I took up the matter, my name was added in the next foundation stone for road work at Master Tara Singh Nagar. But the AAP chose to add to the name of its ward in-charge Ajay Chopra too, who had lost councillor elections."

Sethi said when she recently took up the matter with Commissioner Sandeep Rishi and Mayor Vaneet Dhir, she was told that the foundation stones were not being laid down by the MC. "They told me that they were not paying the contractors for this work. So if the MC is not getting this work done, these stones are illegal. If these stones and plaques are illegal, these structures cannot be put up at public places and must be dismantled. We appeal to the MC authorities to remove these illegal stones or else we shall take some action", she fumed.