Anti-AAP hoardings dot city

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 21

At a time when the AAP is all set to contest the coming civic polls for the first time, several hoardings in Punjabi language have come up overnight in the key areas of Amritsar questioning AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s silence over Leader of Opposition and AAP MLA Sukhpal Khaira’s alleged involvement in supporting drug traffickers.

Interestingly, the hoardings on Lawrence Road and Majitha Road carry the slogan, ‘Ik vaar nahin hazaar vaar kahanga…Sukhpal Khaira nashe da vapaari ha.” —Aam Admi’.

This slogan was identical to what the AAP had allegedly used during the Assembly poll campaign against SAD leader Bikram Majithia. Kejriwal and his aides have been facing a defamation case filed by Majithia in this regard in a local court.

Another lapse was that no name of a party or an individual was mentioned on whose behalf these hoardings were released, whereas it is a mandatory condition since some of these hoardings were spotted on the paid sites allotted by the Municipal Corporation through private contractors, sources said.

Pointing towards Kejriwal, the hoardings from ‘Aam Admi’ further say ‘Kejriwal-Kejriwal, ki tera vi hissa Khaire naal’ and also ask Khaira to submit his resignation with the justification being ‘dujiyan ton istifa mangan wala, apni vari kyu drama kar reha?’

The AAP leaders say that following the court’s rejection of Khaira’s petition, seeking quashing of a Fazilka court summoning him as additional accused, he (Khaira) is yet to take a legal recourse, but these hoardings have declared him guilty.

AAP state general secretary Harinder Singh said, “None, but Akalis are behind this. The language written on these hoardings has exposed them. Since we are making a comeback with the civic polls, more than the Congress, it’s the Akalis who are bewildered. They have launched a crusade which is fictitious and devoid of ethics and morality”, he said.

Harinder Singh said for the past few days Akali leaders had been carrying out a false campaign against Khaira for political gains. He said since these hoardings were placed on paid sites, the accused would be traceable. “I was told that these hoardings were installed on paid sites. Those who had paid for these could be easily identified. We are going to lodge our protest with the Deputy Commissioner, seeking stern action in this regard”, he said.

Meanwhile, Harinder Singh said the AAP was making its debut in civic polls in a big way. “In Amritsar, we have almost completed the candidates’ selection process. We will fight on all the 85 seats here. Only the grassroots volunteers will get the ticket. Some of the aspirants have already started work in their wards,” he said.

On the other hand, MC’s Superintendent, Advertisement wing, Sher Singh, expressed total ignorance about any such hoarding. “The hoardings on unipoles are installed against payment, but the task is operated directly through private contractors who have their discretion in this regard”, he said.