Portion of AAP leader’s hotel razed in Faridkot, he blames MLA

A portion of a hotel owned by an AAP leader was demolished by the district administration in an early morning action on Wednesday, prompting the owner to accuse the party’s Faridkot legislator of “political vendetta” for being vocal about corruption at state-run Baba Farid University.

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The MLA, Gurdit Singh Sekhon, rejected the accusation levelled by the party leader.

“Neither I nor the state government has anything to do with this demolition. It was carried out in compliance with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders,” he said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Harjot Kaur, who supervised the operation, said due legal process was followed.

“Notices were served as per the NGT directives and the demolition was executed strictly in accordance with those orders,” she said, adding that about one dozen such illegal constructions would be demolished in coming days in the area.

According to officials, the action, executed with heavy police deployment, aimed at removing illegal construction on public land.

An official said Shahi Haveli hotel owner Arsh Sachar had encroached upon part of the Kotkapura road despite prior notices served to vacate the area.

Brief arguments were witnessed between the hotel management and officials but the demolition proceeded without interruption.

However, Arsh Sachar denied encroaching upon the road.

Sachar termed the demolition “politically-motivated”, alleging that it was carried out without proper inspection or immediate notice.

Sachar claimed that the demolition was an act of “political vendetta” aimed at “silencing him”.

Sachar had in the past clashed on social media with the MLA over the alleged corruption at state-run Baba Farid University and Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital.

Allegations of corruption levelled by him had been rejected by the MLA, who backed the university administration.