BJP trains guns on pvt firm, SAD
Monday, 27/07/2015
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LUDHIANA: The district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lambasted the alleged advertisement mafia working in collision with some political leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), causing losses to the municipal corporation (MC).
BJP Ludhiana district president Praveen Bansal in a press conference at Chandigarh on Sunday alleged that a scam of advertisement mafia worth crores has surfaced in Ludhiana and there was a need to conduct an inquiry into the scam.
Bansal alleged that a private company has earned a total of nearly `100 crore from advertisements in 2009-2013 but has only deposited `8.25 crore in the MC coffers that “was a matter of concern”. The company is said to be close to an SAD minister from Ludhiana.
Bansal alleged that the company used more area than the permitted are for advertisement for the period of 2009-2013 causing damage to the MC.
The BJP had earlier raised a hue and cry over the tendering of street furniture in December last year, stating that the civic body was favouring the same SAD minister after which a committee was formed and the tenders were cancelled.
The issue was still pending and awaited re-tendering causing losses worth crores to the civic body.
Bansal and BJP councillors’ spokesperson Inder Aggarwal are leading the issue of advertisement scam and have decided that even protests would be launched if the MC tried to favour anyone including SAD leaders.
Bansal had in the past accused the MC of providing a room to SAD district president Madan Lal Bagga at its office and had alleged that the SAD was using its power even to get rooms for its leaders at government offices.
However, Bagga had clarified that it was excise and taxation department that had requested the MC for a room for him as he was also the vice-chairman of Punjab Traders Board that falls under the excise department.
Instead of taking up the issue with BJP leader Anil Joshi, who is local bodies minister, and heads civic bodies, they are raising hue and cry over the advertisement policy in Ludhiana in general meetings.
