Cong protests against sale of Patiala’s open ground
Saturday, 11/07/2015
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PATIALA: The Punjab government’s move to sell Veer Haqiqat Rai Ground — the only open ground in the city — has led to protests from the Congress, with some city residents also joining in the stir to oppose the move.
District Congress president Prem Krishan Puri and Congress leader of opposition in the Patiala Municipal Corporation Sanjeev Bittu led a massive protest rally at the statue of Veer Haqiqat Rai to express their anguish over Punjab Urban Development Authority’s (PUDA) decision to sell the ground, after cutting it into plots.
PUDA had issued an advertisement in this regard on Thursday, stating that there would be draw of lots for allotment of plots in Rajpura Colony. The ground is situated in the colony.
“The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government has done nothing for the city, but its selling prime properties of and shifting money to Bathinda and Mohali for development. The Congress will not allow the sale of Veer Haqiqat Rai Ground,” said Bittu.
The Polo Ground draws a huge rent and as of now the only option for most residents is to hire the ground to organise religious, social and political events.
Most political rallies and events are also held at the ground and thus there is opposition to selling the space, protesters claimed.
Even the Patiala Bachao Committee and residents have also opposed the move to sell the properties of Patiala. The PUDA Residents Welfare Association has claimed that the government was selling prime property for no reason at all.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Brahm Mohindra has claimed that he would try and speak to chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to stop the sale and would move the court, if the government did not withdraw the decision.
