Banners welcoming Amit Shah deface Doon, BJP-led civic body looks other way - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Banners welcoming Amit Shah deface Doon, BJP-led civic body looks other way

Hindustan Times | By
Oct 06, 2017 08:57 PM IST

Shah had visited the Uttarakhand capital on September 19 and 20 to take stock of the party affairs. Prior to that, BJP leaders and workers had openly defaced public places by flooding them with posters and banners that greeted Shah, even though defacing public property is prohibited under the Uttaranchal Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act.

DEHRADUN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet Swachhta Mission seems to have gone for a toss in Dehradun where posters welcoming BJP chief Amit Shah, which had flooded all parts of the city last month, continue to deface public spaces more than a fortnight after his visit.

Posters and banners welcoming BJP chief Amit Shah are all over in Dehradun.(Vinay Santosh Kumar/HT)
Posters and banners welcoming BJP chief Amit Shah are all over in Dehradun.(Vinay Santosh Kumar/HT)

Shah had visited the Uttarakhand capital on September 19 and 20 to take stock of the party affairs. Prior to that, BJP leaders and workers had openly defaced public places by flooding them with posters and banners that greeted Shah, even though defacing public property is prohibited under the Uttaranchal Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Ironically, the local civic body entrusted with the removal of such materials, is run by the BJP that has chosen to turn a blind eye to this, alleged the opposition Congress.

“They talk about the power of ‘triple engine’ government (or, the BJP’s rule at the Centre, state and local body level) and the BJP workers exhibited that by going all out to welcome their leader, even if it meant going against Modi ji’s swachhta mission,” said Dehradun city Congress president Prithviraj Chauhan. “They (BJP) rule the Dehradun municipal corporation, but have failed to take action even after so many days of Shah’s visit.”

Dehradun mayor Vinod Chamoli, who is also a lawmaker from the city’s Dharampur constituency, said that the civic body was working to get the defacing materials removed. “I have given orders to officials to get all such posters removed…we’ll see to it that all posters that had been put up without required clearances are taken off as soon as possible,” said Chamoli.

According to insiders, the saffron party leaders and workers had been instructed to ‘do their best’ for ensuring a grand welcome to Shah. “Posters were put up, banners were hung and party flags were fixed wherever possible. Although they were later asked to bring them (posters) down, that didn’t happen,” said a BJP leader who was involved in the team that made arrangements for Shah.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Neha Pant is a senior correspondent at Hindustan Times based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. She writes on a range of topics including civic issues, urban development, politics, health, women and youth issues, culture and lifestyle.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Saturday, March 23, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On