Councillor’s protest reflects Mayor's narrow thinking : Balbir Singh Sidhu

Demands DNA test of Kulwant Singh to know his political affiliation

5 Dariya News

S.A.S. Nagar 28-Jan-2020

Terming the allegations leveled by the Akali-BJP councillors as ridiculous and baseless, the Health and Family Welfare and Labour Minister, Punjab Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu has challenged Mayor Kulwant Singh to debate on the issue of development of Mohali at any platform.Calling these allegations as narrow mindset of Mayor Kulwant Singh, the Cabinet Minister, while addressing a press conference here today, said that the voters of Mohali city can't be misled by such deceptive claims and they are well aware about the reality of all issues of the city, who is bringing funds from the Government for development works. He said that on one hand Kulwant Singh claims to be the leader of Akali Dal while on the other, he also desperate to meet with Congress leaders for his vested interests. He also demanded the political-DNA test of Kulwant Singh so that his political affiliation would be disclosed before the public, whether he is in Akali Dal or with the Congress.Mr. Sidhu said that Mayor Kulwant Singh spent more than Rs. 100 crores of Municipal Corporation on the development of those areas who were shifted to the corporation from GMADA but he was failed to get the balanced amount of Rs.200 from GMADA till date. He said that MoU had been inked with GMADA for providing Rs. 50 crore annually to corporation during the previous Akali government but he didn’t demand the balanced amount from GMADA to please the then Deputy Chief Minister. He said that so far only Rs 9.5 crore has been taken from GMADA, while about Rs 190 crore of the corporation has been pending with GMADA but the mayor has not taken any action and nor passed any resolution so far.

The Cabinet Minister said that the Congress councillors have always supported the development works and resolutions at the meetings of the corporation. He alleged that the Kulwant Singh convened a special meeting of the House on August 5, 2016 without taking any balanced amount from the then government, and proposed a resolution to expressed gratitude to the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. He further alleged that during the Akali government's tenure, the Kulwant Singh had again cheated the residents of Mohali and passed a resolution on January 11, 2016 to incur Rs 416.80 lakh on the development of city but this grant was also not given to the Municipal Corporation by the Akali government and resolution was also passed in this regard to say thanks to the then Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.Mr. Sidhu said that Mayor Kulwant Singh, the owner of Janata Land Promoters, had taken many personal benefits from GMADA as builder during previous SAD-BJP government. He (Mayor) is also defaulter of GMADA and that’s why, he is not taking the matter with GMADA regarding the balanced amount of Corporation. He said that SAD-BJP councillors blamed him (Sidhu) for creating hindrances to float the tenders but the corporation hasn’t any funds for development works in this budget year. Instead of that there are substantial liabilities of corporation, which is a result of ill conceived policies of previous SAD-BJP government, are not addressed yet.The Cabinet Minister also said that the corporation's budget for this financial year has been revised twice and now it has been sent to the government for the third time. Interestingly, around Rs. 9 crore has been earmarked for development works in this new revised budget. The contract has been cancelled. He said that the contract of MC for buying of tree pruning machine at exorbitant price of Rs 2 crore, has been cancelled by the Punjab government. MC has not initiated the process to recover the advance amount of Rs 90 lakh up till, which was transferred in January 2017 to the company. Now with interest the total amount manifolds Rs 1.5 crore.Mr. Sidhu said that Kulwant Singh had become mayor with the unconditional support of the Congress party but now he forgot the favour and engaging in making false and fake allegations. He said that the protest of SAD-BJP councillors proved that they are afraid of defeat in upcoming corporation elections.