Cong gives Mayor the park(ing) blues

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

High drama was witnessed as Congress workers gheraoed the MC office in Sector 17 and stopped Mayor Arun Sood, who was in his official car, for around 40 minutes over the issue of converting a green belt into a parking in Sector 38 to allegedly favour Vivek High School, Sector 38.

A Congress worker, Sunil Sood, was seriously injured when four of his ribs got broken during the protest. He was admitted to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16. 

Despite heavy police deployment, the Congress workers did not allow the Mayor to enter the MC building. Former Mayor and Congress councillor Poonam Sharma climbed on the bonnet of the Mayor’s car as several Congress workers pushed and manhandled the Mayor. Youth Congress workers entered the MC building and staged a dharna in front of the Mayor’s office. 

The drama started at 10.30 am. The police finally managed to help the Mayor enter the MC building at 11.10 am. 

The protest by the Congress continued during the MC House meeting as well. Congress councillor Darshan Garg levelled allegations against the Mayor and asked him whether he had entered a deal with the school management to favour it by converting the green belt into a parking. He asked the Mayor, “Have your children got admission to Vivek High School?” He said the work on the parking was stopped in 2006 by the MC after residents protested. He questioned the need for passing the agenda in the F&CC now, that too without the residents’ consent. 

Rubbishing the allegations, the Mayor said the site was converted after a letter from the Chief Architect. He said he would hold a meeting with residents of Sector 38 tomorrow evening and would take a call according to their wish. He said if they agreed, the MC would construct a parking and in case they opposed it, the MC would permanently close the chapter by making amendments to the drawing of the green belt.

The Mayor showed a letter signed by 184 residents, including parents of school students, who were in favour of the parking. However, no date was mentioned on the letter. The Congress alleged that the letter was prepared by the Mayor after the controversy and that was the reason why there was no date on it.