BJP activists burn effigies of minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Ludhiana Improvement Trust Chairman

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, September 8

As a mark of protest against the alleged swindling of hundreds of crores from the sale of public property by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust LIT) through e-auctions, a large number of members and office- bearers of the BJP, Bikram Singh Sidhu (advocate), a member of the state executive of the party, burnt effigies of LIT chairman Raman Balasubramaniam and Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu here today.

BJP workers and other protesters also raised slogans against corrupt practices and financial bungling going on in the LIT under the incumbent chairman and his political mentor – Ashu, terming both of them enemies of the public and traitors of the nation.

Addressing the protest, Sidhu maintained land and properties of the LIT, which was a public institution, worth several hundred crores were auctioned at throwaway prices to grant favours to close aides of the minister and in the process, it is causing colossal loss to the state exchequer.

Later, interacting with the media, Sidhu further stated that this recent auction of prime land in Model Town Extension to an industrial group was another ‘city centre scam’ as over Rs 250 crore bungling was involved in the sale of this particular piece of land.

“We will not let the issue rest till an appropriate action is taken against the guilty as city residents have been cheated. We demand a prompt high-level investigation and registration of an FIR in the matter,” said Sidhu.

DCC president comes out in support of Ashu, LIT chief

Meanwhile, District Congress Committee (Urban) president Ashwani Sharma has come out in support of Cabinet Minister Ashu and LIT Chairman Raman Balasubramaniam by terming the ongoing protest by the BJP activists as “politically motivated drama” in a desperate bid to distract the attention of people from real and burning issues of public interests.

Addressing a press meet here today, he said rather than wasting their time finding faults with the working of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, the BJP leaders ought to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG which were skyrocketing.

He said the local BJP leadership and even their senior state-level leaders were scared of their diminishing public image in the state, especially after the way the farmers’ agitation had been dealt with by the Centre.

“BJP leaders should stop such cheap political gimmicks and focus on development of the city and the state,” the DCC chief said.