BJP councillors came out in open against Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria on Wednesday following his orders to dissolve eight sub-committees on various issues which came into existence on October 14, 2013. The Mayor, associated with BJP’s ally—the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal— in his orders under Section 42 of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 dated July 8 ordered that eight sub-committees of total 12 be dissolved. However, the orders to dissolve advertising committee headed by BJP councillor Inder Aggarwal has particularly raised many eyebrows as recently there was an uproar on involvement of company ‘Lead Ads’ owned by family of SAD minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon for displaying majority of ads outside malls . However, later while the minister clarified that no rules were broken or mended to facilitate Lead Ads, still the dissolving of advertising committee has not gone well with BJP. Talking to Newsline, Inder Aggarwal said, “Mayor should have think twice before dissolving eight sub committees. The work of these committees is to keep an eye on the efficient working of MC and Mayor has special right to form or dissolve them but then why other four committees were also not dissolved? It was the advertising committee which was the most concerned for the revenue of MC and this has been intentionally done to stop us from attending the meetings and point out wrong doings.” A high-level meeting of advertising is all set to take place on July 12. Gurdeep Singh Neetu, also BJP councillor and head of health and sanitation sub committee which was also dissolved, said, “We demand the resignation of Mayor as decision was taken in haste and without taking consent from others. Mayor talks of public welfare but we cannot see it anywhere. Stray dogs are eating children, traffic continues as there is no check on encroachments, roads are in pathetic condition and what not. All these questions will be raised in house meeting on July 25.” Neetu even blamed the Mayor and his non-planning and lack of development for city for SAD-BJP loss in recent Lok Sabha polls. “It is only because of inefficiency of Mayor and lack of planning that we lost Lok Sabha polls. It is only sycophancy that works here,” he said. Meanwhile, when contacted, Mayor said, “I want to reconstitue the committees and thus they have been dissolved. If BJP councillors are raising questions, then it is not right.” Even SAD councillor Tanveer Singh Dhaliwal raised question on Mayor’s decision. “The consent from all members of the house should have been taken before taking this decision,” he said.
