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Dissenting voices against govt: One more Cong MLA ups ante, threatens sit-in outside CM’s house
Says has no say in functioning of state government, all powers concentrated in CMO, Capt’s OSDs
One more Congress MLA from chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s home turf of Patiala, Nirmal Singh Shutrana, on Monday upped the ante against his party’s regime by threatening to start a hunger strike in front of the CM’s residence, saying he had no say in the functioning of the government.
This comes close on the heels of three of the ruling party legislators from the district having openly vented their anger against the bureaucracy and government led by Amarinder who is holidaying in Europe.
Nirmal Singh Shutrana represents the Shutrana assembly constituency in the Punjab assembly. The Patiala district has seven Congress MLAs, including the CM, and cabinet ministers Brahm Mohindra and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.
“Bureaucracy is dominating the government’s functioning. We can’t even get appointment to meet the CM. Not only MLAs, but even ministers are helpless. I have seen many of them bowing before an officer in the CMO to get clearance for departmental files. The CM is inaccessible and this officer is running the show. I decided to go to the media after no one listened to me,” said the three-time MLA who was once considered Amarinder’s close confidant and joined the Congress after quitting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
“I even cried before the officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister as no one in the bureaucracy listened to me. All power is concentrated in the CM’s office and his OSDs and no one is listening to the MLAs. Officials pay heed only to the OSDs. And this is promoting corruption,” he added.
He said when MLAs Madan Lal Jalalpur, Hardial Kamboj, and Rajinder Singh went to the media, he decided to keep silence. “I always raised the issues at party level. What will do with such MLA-ship if not a single development project is started in my area. I have to face people. I can’t seek transfer like bureaucrats do.”
He said the CM announced to build a grain market, a judicial court complex, a polytechnic institute, advance trauma centre at Patran, etc but nothing was started in the last three years.
“The bureaucrats are not listening to me or Congress workers. They are instead obliging the Akalis. I have faced the wrath of Congress workers due to inaction of the bureaucracy. Corruption is rampant at official level,” he said, adding he will start a hunger strike from January 1 if his demands for development projects are not met.
When contacted, Patiala MP Preneet Kaur said she has already taken up the matter to resolve the MLAs’ issues. “Thing is fine except minor issues. The issues will be resolved once the CM comes back,” she added.
