Cong complains misuse of stadium for PM's rally

The BJP govt pressurised local officials to grant permission to hold PM's rally in the stadium, alleged Shaktisinh Gohil.

Hours before Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rally in the city, Gujarat Congress rushed a letter to Election Commission saying holding public rally in Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium was violation of code of conduct as the permission to use it was sought by "pressurising" officials in Congress-ruled Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

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"The elected body of AMC had unanimously adopted a resolution on February 24 that the stadium would not be used for any other purpose other than sports. However, the BJP government pressurised the municipal commissioner to grant permission for PM's rally," Gujarat PCC spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil told reporters here.

It is violative of Section 79 (C) of BPMC Act, which clearly states that only the elected board of a corporation can decide whom to give its property on lease or rent, Gohil said.

He said one Dinesh Patel has moved the Gujarat High Court as he was not permitted to use the stadium for a "charity" function whereas the prime minister was allowed to hold rally.

"We are confident that Election Commission will look into the matter and take some action in this regard," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, AMC's Standing Committee chairman Jayantilal Parmar claimed that municipal commissioner had kept the standing committee in dark about the permission that he granted for the usage of stadium.

"The permission was granted due to security reasons. But the standing committee was not informed about it", Parmar told PTI, when contacted.