AAP MLA faces bribery allegations, contractor‘s suicide bid: Why Ludhiana’s historic Dussehra Mela is mired in a row this year

However, this year political row over mela started after the contractor, Ashok Kumar, alleged that the local AAP MLA from Ludhiana Central, Ashok Parashar Pappi, allegedly demanded a Rs 10 lakh bribe to let him organise the event.

On Saturday, Kumar attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol. However, people around intervened and stopped him on time.

Kumar alleged that when he refused to pay the bribe, the latter sent Municipal Corporation teams to remove the carts and shops of the vendors, which led to monetary losses.

On the other hand, Pappi denied all the allegations. He claimed that he only took action against the “encroachments” outside the mela ground. He also alleged that the contractor took “Goonda Tax” (bribe) from the vendors to let them run their shops illegally.

MLA Pappi addressed a press conference in Ludhiana on Monday and said that he will be filing a “defamation case” against the contractor and that “the entire drama was orchestrated to damage” his image.

“I will also seek a vigilance probe into how a class IV employee got Rs 1.50 crore contractor. A government employee cannot work as a contractor,” said Pappi.

The MLA also alleged that, “The contractor charges goonda tax from the vendors. The entire mela is organised without required permissions from the administration.”

Each year the local Ramlila and Dussehra Committee give the contract for the mela, the locals said.

Amid allegations and counter-allegations, locals said that it was for the first time in history that the Dussehra Mela at Daresi was disrupted.

“Even the Dola Yatra (procession carrying idols of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita) was delayed for over seven hours on Saturday night. Never before has the Mela turned political,” said a local resident, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, the contractor on Monday told The Indian Express, “I took a step to end my life because I was harassed by MLA Pappi. I already paid Rs 1 crore to the panel to get this contract. Yes, we take some amount from those vendors but that is how this cycle runs,” he said.

Kumar added: “From where and why should I pay the bribe of Rs 10 lakh to the MLA? It is because of the shops and vendors that the mela runs successfully as people eat, children buy toys etc. Shops and vending carts are allowed at the venue even before I was born. No local MLA has ever misused their power in the history of Daresi Mela but why Pappi or anyone else never objected earlier.”

Meanwhile, regarding the MLA seeking a probe, the contractor said: “Yes, I am a class IV government employee but the firm is registered in my daughter-in-law’s name. We are four to five partners who take contracts only for the Mela once a year. I am open to any probe.”

After the contractor’s alleged suicide bid, leaders from opposition parties including the BJP and the Congress also jumped in and said that no one will be allowed to disrupt the Mela in any way.

Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana Lok Sabha MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, along with former MLA Surinder Dawar, reached Daresi late on Saturday. “It is extremely unfortunate to disrupt Daresi Mela… It is an insult to people’s sentiments. Neither the Daresi Mela has ever stopped, nor will it ever be allowed to stop ever.”

Pappi, however, blamed Warring and the opposition parties for “disrespecting Sanatan Dharam” by “stopping Dola Yatra for political mileage”. He said: “The Opposition is trying to take political mileage from the entire issue.”

Local BJP leader Gurdev Sharma Debi, who lost to Pappi in 2022 Punjab assembly polls, also said in a statement the contractor has exposed the MLA and the ‘so-called honest’ government.

“The contractor has exposed the AAP MLA and the real face of this so-called honest government. It is due to the failure of the MLA and the local administration that the Dola Yatra of Sri Ram was stalled for over 7 hours. He needs to apologize from the entire Hindu community,” said Debi.