Will raise issue of mining ‘mafia’ in Assembly: Harpal Cheema

Chamaru (Ghanaur), Jan 21

Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema today said he would take up the issue of mining ‘mafia’ rule in Punjab in the forthcoming Assembly session.

Cheema, AAP state treasurer Neena Mittal and others visited illegal mining sites in the villages of the Ghanaur constituency in Patiala. The visit came after recent news reports highlighted illegal mining in Rajgarh, Nanhera, Chamaru and Bathonian Kalan villages in Ghanaur.

“Sand excavated from these villages is shifted to construction sites as far as Mohali, Kharar, Patiala and Sangrur. Though over 20 FIRs have been registered within the Ghanaur belt, nothing has been accomplished in the investigation so far,” claimed villagers.

Slamming the Congress government, Cheema said liquor mafia, mining mafia and other mafias were running in the hometown of the Chief Minister. “Congress leaders, their ministers and MLAs are solely responsible for all kinds of mafias flourishing in Punjab,” Cheema added.

Meanwhile, villagers claimed that whenever they opposed the mining mafia, the police registered false cases against them and locked them up at the police station. — TNS