Punjab: Congress protestors storm Jalandhar MC office over poor civic amenities, 1 cop injured

At the protest, slogans were raised against the AAP-led Punjab government and MC officials for not resolving basic issues of the people related to civic amenities

Jalandhar district congress committee leaders and workers barged into the premises of the Jalandhar municipal corporation on Friday and locked a corporation office in the building in rage over poor civic amenities in the city.

Jalandhar district congress committee leaders and workers on the premises of the MC. (HT Photo)

According to sources, the committee members were demonstrating outside the MC office in the morning over poor sewage, faulty drainage system and lack of cleanliness across the wards under its jurisdiction.

The protest was led by Jalandhar north MLA Avtar Singh Bawa Henry, Jalandhar cantonment MLA Pargat Singh and the distrct congress committee president Rajinder Beri.

At the protest, slogans were raised against the AAP-led Punjab government and MC officials for not resolving basic issues of the people related to civic amenities.

Later around 1pm, the demonstrators turned violent and barged into the MC office and managed to put a lock in an office.

“A police team soon intervened which led to a heated exchange between them and the protestors. A windowpane was broken in the melee and one policeman suffered minor injuries,” a source said.

The DCC president mentioned that from streetlights to drainage system, everything is in doldrums but neither the state government nor the MC officials are ready to take the responsibility of the plight of people.

“For the past one year, the state government had failed to schedule pending MC elections in Jalandhar due to which the babus are calling the shots and are not bothered to the grievances of the people,” Beri added.

The assistant commissioner of police Sheetal Singh said that the police would take action against the protestors after MC officials lodge a complaint.