Amid Cong-BJP sparring, Sidhu inaugurates parking complex

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, june 15

The residents here including shopkeepers who were awaiting the inauguration of the parking complex were a happy lot as the Multi-Storey parking complex on the Phagwara—Banga Road was inaugurated on Friday evening by Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

MC Commissioner Karnesh Sharma, Bakhtawar Singh, XEN PWD Varinder Kumar besides Congress Councillors were among those present on the occasion. Later Sidhu went to the local Rest House premises to inaugurate the Auditorium.

On the other hand SAD and BJP leaders including Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, Mayor Arun Khosla, Deputy Mayors Surinder Singh Walia and Ranjit Singh Khurana along with SAD-BJP Councillors have described the inauguration by the minister as unethical and against moral values. They said Congress was attempting to highjack the projects of the Multi-Storey Parking Complex and Auditorium sanctioned by previous SAD—BJP Government.

They alleged that though MC Phagwara was owner of both the projects, during Congress rule, he was kept in dark about the inauguration of Parking Complex and Auditorium by Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

MLA Parkash said though he himself had written three letters to Sidhu, he did not respond to any of his letters. MLA Parkash even strongly criticised the Congress’s campaign of demonstrations at village level from Friday to June 21 as Congress-led State Government itself could not come upto the expectations of the people.

The MLA also alleged that MC Commissioner Bakhtawar Singh did not take Mayor and MC house into confidence while calling e-tenders for the parking complex, which was totally against rules.

MLA said he himself along with Mayor Khosla had inaugurated the parking on September 18 after its completion but now the inauguration was being repeated.

Cause of rift between two parties

SAD and BJP leaders including Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, Mayor Arun Khosla, Deputy Mayors Surinder Singh Walia and Ranjit Singh Khurana along with SAD-BJP Councillors have described the inauguration by the minister against moral values. They alleged that Congress was attempting to highjack the projects of the Multi-Storey Parking Complex and Auditorium sanctioned by previous SAD-BJP Government. MLA Parkash said though he had written three letters to Sidhu regarding inauguration, he did not respond to any of his letters