Punjab BJP chief joins councillors’ protest, pitches for audit of Ludhiana Smart City Project

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar today launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as he joined the protest against the MC Mayor, Inderjit Kaur, at the MC Zone D office here. Jakhar condemned the attitude of the Mayor for getting a case registered against BJP councillors who raised issues of people’s welfare.

He described the AAP government’s attitude as arrogant, stating that the Central Government would now take appropriate action. A case was filed simply because the councillors had gone to meet the Mayor to discuss some development work. He called it injustice to the councillors and an example of the government’s arrogance and corruption.

Jakhar vowed that the BJP would fight for its self-respect and that this issue would resonate across Punjab. He criticised the Mayor, accusing her of forgetting about development and engaging only in political bias. He also raised questions about the use of Rs 900 crore provided by the Centre for the Ludhiana Smart City Project. He announced that he would write a letter to the Central Government to request an audit of the funds to show the people how and where the money had been spent.

Taking a shot at CM Bhagwant Mann, Jakhar said that Mann was busy telling jokes while the people of Punjab were suffering from drug abuse and corruption. He also targeted recently appointed minister Sanjeev Arora, saying that he would have to come clean on the issue of conflict of interest and he could not escape simply by resigning from his board of companies.

He also urged the Chief Minister to become the voice of the people, warning that otherwise the people were ready to send him back home. Jakhar also criticised the government on the issue of land pooling, stating that this decision would eventually turn the people against the government.