Two newly elected Congress members of Jalandhar municipal corporation (MC), along with their supporters, allegedly ransacked the office of assistant commissioner Gurbinder Randhawa on Wednesday.
The leaders alleged that the corporation had removed a particular vend, owned by one Mohan, in Basti Danishmand area due to political vendetta.
Newly elected Congress councillor from ward number 46, Sushil Kumar Rinku, his wife and sitting councillor from the same ward Sunita Rinku; Congress councillor from ward number 42, Baldev Singh Dev, led the protest.
"Manoj's vend was removed as he had worked in my favour during the MC elections. Before the elections, local BJP leaders had threatened him with grave consequences if he continued to support me," said Rinku.
"The corporation's action in removing the vend was sheer harassment. No other vendor in the area was touched."
The protestors broke a windowpane and hurled chairs. As Randhawa was not in her office, joint commissioner DP Bhardwaj met them and persuaded the leaders to withdraw their protest.
When contacted, Randhawa said that she was not in her office when the incident occurred. She added that an inquiry would be held into the matter and a report sent to MC commissioner Vinay Bublani.
She said that removing the illegal vends was a routine exercise. "The question of targeting a particular vendor does not arise. The vendor in question was not singled out."
{{/usCountry}}She said that removing the illegal vends was a routine exercise. "The question of targeting a particular vendor does not arise. The vendor in question was not singled out."
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