Posters slamming govt appear in Karnal, FIR lodged for defacement of public property
Sanjay Bathla, OSD to the chief minister, blamed the Congress for the posters, saying, “Kumari Selja was here… The police will find out who is behind it.”
Several posters slamming the BJP government with pictures of chief minister Nayab Saini and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar surfaced overnight in Karnal on Tuesday, triggering registration of an FIR for defacement of public property.
Such posters mimicking the state government’s ‘non-stop Haryana’ slogan were seen in at least 11 locations. A few of the posters criticised the government over women safety and unemployment. The ruling party as well as the Congress condemned the installation of such posters.
Sanjay Bathla, OSD to the chief minister, said that soon after receiving the information, he informed the administration. “The BJP has always promoted positive politics. Our governments at the Centre and the state have worked for people’s upliftment while they (Opposition) have been involved in the politics of lie,” he added.
He blamed the Congress for the posters, saying, “Kumari Selja was here… The police will find out who is behind it.”
Similarly, Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala, who joined Sirsa MP Kumari Selja for a roadshow in Karnal, also condemned the posters.
As per the police, the posters were seen on the walls of Nilokheri MLA Dharampal Gonder’s residence in Model Town, Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital, Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Sugar Breeding Center, near National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and six other places.
After receiving a complaint from the Karnal Municipal Corporation, the Civil Lines police station registered a case under The Haryana Prevention of Defacement of Property Act against unknown persons.