Cong releases charge-sheet against BJP misrule in Chandigarh

The Voice of Chandigarh: Alka Lamba, National Spokesperson of AICC, released Chandigarh Congress Committee’s charge-sheet against 6 years misrule of BJP at MC, at party office in Sector 35. The charge sheet also includes 15 point by point report cards on BJP so-called vision document ‘Sankalp Patra’ to expose its real anti-people face.

BJP rule was marked with total failure, mistrust, corruption, false promises and putting extra burden on people by imposing various taxes, claimed Congress in the charge-sheet.

Speaking during the occasion, Alka said that this double engine arrangement of BJP with government at centre and power at MC has crashed. The civic conditions of the city have become miserable.

She further said that the city is no longer being seen as ‘city beautiful’ with its ranking slipping to the 66th spot. There is no arrangement of waste disposable. The heavy burden of taxes has been imposed on people. Stray cattle are roaming with absolute freedom on city roads. This was not the Chandigarh that we knew. BJP is leaving no stone unturned to bring a bad name to a city that was known internationally for its beauty and architecture.

During its previous 14 years tenure at MC, the Congress made Chandigarh a top city with world-class roads, exquisite parks, and good quality of life for its citizens, asserted Alka.

Subhash Chawla, President Chandigarh Congress said that in the last five years, the BJP has miserably failed to fulfil the promises it made in what they called their ‘Vision Document’. It has breached the trust of the people of the city. Chandigarh Congress has resolved to bring back the lost glory of the city.

Talking about the charge-sheet Alka said that it is shameful that the BJP has brought the city to such a sorry pass. The cost incurred on one garbage collection personnel, which was about Rs 19000 in 2017 has now jumped to more than Rs. 45000. Ironically, the garbage collector is paid the same or even less salary than he was paid in 2017. Obviously, the BJP led corporation has indulged in massive corruption.

“The BJP has increased taxes on water, sewerage and property tax. In fact, the sewerage tax at 30% of the water bill is the highest such tax in the country. Despite a huge increase in the taxes, the revenue earnings of the Corporation has gone down drastically in last four years,”

The central government grants to the city have come down significantly. This shows that the BJP government in Delhi is simply not interested in the growth and welfare of the city. The current corporation has failed to get its rightful share and grants allocated by the Delhi Finance Commission out of the UTs’ revenues, she maintained.

The BJP run corporation has consciously tried to weed out labour oriented jobs and handed them over to big corporate. The mess we see in community parking, sanitation, maintenance of roads and parks all over the city is a direct consequence of such policies.

The BJP has time again promised to regularize the houses constructed in the villages outside Lal Doras by bringing them within the boundary & to provide all the civic amenities to these houses.

Their vision no. 1 publicized by the local BJP was to convert all leasehold properties in the city into freehold ones. They are not able to even pursue the case properly. Their promise which they breached was to provide affordable residential houses for the people of Chandigarh. Not a single scheme to provide such houses was launched in the last five years. Their promise to get land allotted to Residential, Commercial, Government and non-Government institutions, Cultural, Social, religious institutions, Chandigarh Housing board for constructing affordable houses. Nothing was done in this regard.

BJP had promised to allot residential houses to people in villages by getting an “Oustee Rehabilitation Plan” passed. Such a plan did not even come on the agenda of the BJP for discussion.

BJP had promised to start a new Intensive Care Unit at Sector 16 GMSH and an Ayushman Centre in sector 34 remained on papers only. No progress was made to start new Jan Aushadhi Centres in sector 22 and sector 45 dispensaries and hospitals. The promise of establishing 6 new schools in Maloya, Mauli Jagran, Raipur Kalan, Industrial Area phase III and in PGI Campus also remained on papers only. 11. They also promised that six new sports complexes would be opened in sectors 56, 50, 38 west, 43, 34 and in Manimajra. While sector 50 sports complex was started by the Congress, the other five could not take off.

Is Chandigarh BJP, who disdainfully ignored their own promises made through their manifesto in the 2016 election and insulted the people of Chandigarh in doing so, deserve your vote, Alka questioned.

Among others, Rajinder Rana, MLA and the party’s election coordinator, Abhishek Dutt, Vice President DPCC were also present during the occasion.