Court summons Cong chief, state unit prez for bid to open party office in club

A local court has issued summons to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president and the state unit head of the party among others in a case of alleged attempt

A local court has issued summons to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president and the state unit head of the party among others in a case of alleged attempt to open a party office on the premises of Civil Lines Club in Bathinda.

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Acting on a petition filed by former bureaucrats Shiv Dev Singh, HS Sra and president of the Guru Nanak Hall and Library JS Dhaliwal, the court of civil judge (senior division), Bathinda, Gurpreet Tiwana has fixed the next date of hearing on September 6. The petition says that the Guru Nanak Hall and Library is the parent body of the Civil Lines Club and its campus cannot be used for political purposes.

In the petition, 12 members, including, registrar of firms and societies, elected officer-bearers of the club and Congress leaders, have been made respondents. However, the national and state presidents of the Congress have not been made respondents by name in the petition.

The petition stated that Shiv and Sra were allegedly removed illegally and arbitrarily from the posts of president and general secretary of the elite club. It was claimed that removal of the two was aimed at paving the way to open the Malwa zone office of the Congress on the club premises.

They pleaded permanent injunction for restraining the registrar from recognising Rajan Garg and Sunil Singla as president and general secretary of the club.

President of the club and senior Congress leader Rajan Garg said he was yet to receive the summons. He said Sra and Shiv were expelled during the annual general meeting of the club on May 29.

Meanwhile, district Congress president Arun Jeet Wadhawan denied any plan to establish a regional office on the club premises or in Bathinda.