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Aam Aadmi Party supporting ‘cable mafias’ in Chandigarh, says Congress women wing
Congress councillors, along with those from the AAP, had opposed a corporation crackdown on overhead cables after it disrupted internet connectivity.
Two days after Congress councillors in Chandigarh, along with those from the Aam Aadmi Party, lashed out at the municipal commissioner for pulling down overhead cables, leading to the snapping of internet connectivity in some parts of the city, the party’s women’s wing alleged that the AAP was supporting “cable mafias” and said the cables should be laid underground.
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In a statement issued Thursday, Chandigarh Mahila Congress president Deepa Dubey questioned the “selfishness of the AAP councillors who are fighting for the cable mafias”. “Why don’t they talk about the issues of the city? If the commissioner is cracking down on the mafia and generating revenue for the municipal corporation and giving it for the betterment of Chandigarh, what is the problem with the AAP councillors and leaders?” she asked.
“Cable operators have installed bunches of wires on trees and poles and the sight is such an eyesore too,” she said, adding that the internet cables should be laid underground.
A general house meeting of the civic body witnessed a showdown on Tuesday with AAP and Congress councillors cornering municipality commissioner Anindita Mitra and other officers over their decision to pull down the overhead cables in the city, which led to the disconnection of internet services.
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A bunch of councillors confronted Mitra saying that residents had to face a tough time because of the corporation’s action, adding that it could have been put on hold for some time.
AAP councillor Jasbir Singh went to the extent of calling the commissioner a “dictator”.
For her part, Mitra said “she cannot let the mafia rule the city”. The cable operators were given sufficient time to submit applications and deposit the fee, the commissioner said.