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Cycling group rides into 2021 in style, ex-mayor at receiving end as BJP councillor adds insult to injury, Former Congmen in war of wards after MC election results, and more...

Cycling group rides into 2021 in style

Chandigarh-based Cyclegiri group pedalled into the new year with a specially planned route that spelled 2021. According to group administrator Akshit Passi, 25, the riders started cycling from Yadavindra Public School Chowk in Mohali and went up to Sector 27, Chandigarh. “It was a two-hour trip and we rode for 33km on Saturday morning. The cold weather made the ride extra special,” Passi said.

Ex-mayor at receiving end as BJP councillor adds insult to injury

It was double whammy for a former mayor of Chandigarh the other day. During the general house meeting on December 31, a Congress councillor called him “anpad (illiterate)”. The former mayor from the BJP and his party members objected and demanded an apology from the Congress councillor. After several minutes of pandemonium, the Congress leader relented and withdrew his comment. But the embarrassment for the former mayor didn’t end there. Later, at the mayor’s office, where journalists were present, a BJP councillor said, “It was disrespectful of the Congress member to call him anpad. There’s no decency left. Like one doesn’t call a kana (squint-eyed) person a kana to his face, similarly one shouldn’t call an illiterate an anpad on his face.” Looking uncomfortable, the former mayor responded, “How can a Class 10 pass be called an anpad?”

Bidding adieu to city’s Jhansi Ki Rani

Only two months ago, BJP councillors, led by local unit chief Arun Sood, boycotted an MC general house meeting called by Chandigarh mayor Raj Bala Malik and gifted her the most embarrassing moment of her one-year term. But by the year-end, the councillors were all praise for Malik’s working style at the last meeting under her mayorship. Sood even likened her to Jhansi ki Rani for being active at the grassroots, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown.

MC agenda passed by voice vote amid clanging of thalis

Congress members outwitted the BJP by bringing thalis to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House last week. They didn’t let the House meet proceed by clanging the stainless steel plates, forcing an adjournment. With important issues up for discussion, local BJP chief Arun Sood decided to bring the items on the agenda to get them passed with voice vote. When the meeting resumed, the Congress members reached the well of the House, clanging the thalis only to be outdone by their BJP counterparts, who passed all the items on the agenda, except one, by voice vote without any discussion.

Mohali MC in sleep mode as stray cattle give commuters nightmares

Ever since the five-year term of the municipal corporation ended on April 26 last year, officials have forgotten to address Mohali’s civic issues. The stray cattle problem has grown alarmingly with one of the worst-hit areas being a site near the MC office in Sector 68. Commuters have a tough time negotiating certain stretches in town and the fog has aggravated their problem.

Prohibit youngsters from hookah bars

Dr Amandeep Kang, director, health services, Chandigarh, minced no words when she said there was a need to prohibit youngsters from hookah bars as they are a gateway to addictions, starting from nicotine/tobacco. Participating as a guest in a panel discussion on hookah bars being the new fad with the young, she said that nicotine leads to constriction of blood vessels and affects all our organs from head to toe. The health risks of smoking through a hookah include exposure to toxic chemicals that are not filtered out by the water and the risk of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and Covid-19, increases as hookah smoking is a social activity. Chandigarh has already imposed a hookah ban till February.

Former Congmen in war of wards

Two former Congress leaders Nirmal Singh (HDF) and Venod Sharma (HJP) whose newly floated parties fought the municipal elections in Ambala have entered into a political slugfest post results. After his party’s poor performance, Singh accused Sharma of “using muscle and money power”. Sharma, whose wife has been elected the mayor, mocked Singh and said: “Yeh to hamare hi haathon mein khele hue hain; hume pata hai tumhara kitna janadhaar hai.”

New Year’s a low-key affair at PU

The New Year celebrations at Panjab University were a low-key affair this time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a tradition, the vice-chancellor would address non-teaching staff on the first day of the year. But there was no such interaction in view of the health protocol.

Inputs by Hillary Victor, Munieshwer A Sagar, Amanjeet Singh, Rajanbir Singh, Dar Ovais and Bhavey Nagpal