Councillor, RWA spar over office space at community centre library

GURUGRAM: RWA members from Sector 14 approached the MCG commissioner on Monday, seeking an amicable solution to an ongoing dispute over an office space reportedly allotted to the municipal councillor of ward number 6.
The residents alleged that BJP councillor Anoop Singh, along with his associates, ransacked a library at the Sector 14 community centre last Thursday (on March 8) in an attempt to make room for his office.

Singh, however, refuted the charge and said the library had been allotted to him by the corporation for setting up his office.

Sources said the councillor wanted his office right in the community centre but the residents claimed that the centre in question was small and did not have enough space to house another office (RWA office is also located in the centre).

Residents alleged that when they resisted, the councillor, along with 4-5 men, stormed into the centre last Thursday and ransacked the library.

“They took out all the furniture from the library and dumped all the items in another room. While leaving, they locked the library room from outside. But I put my own lock on his,” claimed Umesh Mudgil, vice-president, RWA, Sector 14.

RWA president HS Nanda alleged that Singh also used ‘foul language’ against him. “I am 75 years old… he misbehaved with me. We also registered a complaint with police, but they haven’t filed any FIR in this regard yet. The cops told us since there wasn’t a brawl, they won’t file an FIR,” he alleged.

Nanda further said the ward No. 6 included many sectors and the councillor could have set up his office somewhere else. “There are community centres in other sectors too. Our community centre is too small,” he said.

RWA members said now they wanted MCG to resolve the matter. “We tried to meet MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav today (Monday); he redirected us to additional commissioner Anu Shukant, who, in turn, asked a junior engineer to visit the spot. The junior engineer visited the library today (Monday) and will file a report tomorrow (Tuesday),” Nanda said.

Councillor Singh rejected all the allegations. “I was very cordial with them. None of the events they described happened. In fact, I had just a few days ago held a sport event in the city where I invited him (Nanda) as a guest.” Singh also flashed an MCG order stating that the said library was allotted to him.

But the RWA members said MCG never wrote to them to offer the space to Singh for his office.

Despite repeated attempts, MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav and additional commissioner Anu Shukant did not comment on the matter.