Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and Deputy Leader of Opposition Sarvjit Kaur Manuke at a press conference in Ludhiana on Sunday. (Express photo: Gurmeet Singh)The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sunday said that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh should immediately take resignation from Food and Civil Supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu for his alleged involvement in Ludhiana Change of Land Use scam, or else be ready to face protests in coming days.
Addressing a news conference in Ludhiana Sunday, AAP MLAs — Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and Deputy Leader of Opposition Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, said “AAP will take matter to the highest level and won’t rest till Ashu does not resign”.
“The name of minister Ashu and another Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal has come up prominently in the inquiry report submitted to local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Now this is not only an acid test moment for Sidhu and Captain but also Congress president Rahul Gandhi. If they will start protect and shield their minister, it proves that roots of this scam go deep till Congress headquarters in Delhi. AAP is not leaving it till Ashu does not resign and action is not taken against all officials named in the report. We are going to take it to the highest level. If Captain does not ask Ashu to resign immediately, we will be holding massive protests against them. If Sidhu claims that he is so honest, then why is he shielding his Cabinet colleague. Let him take action or face protest,” said Cheema.
He added: “We have raised this matter in Vidhan Sabha, but Captain is acting as if nothing has happened. If he has to remain a mute spectator then Congress should stop talking about zero-corruption governance. His minister has been found involved in a land scam and he must answer.”
AAP leaders further announced that party will constitute a five-member committee to look into the ‘land mafia cases in Ludhiana’ and ‘help the victims’. “Since this case been exposed, we have been getting multiple calls and leads regarding other land mafia cases. Land mafia flourishes in Ludhiana and we have decided to constitute a five-member committee to look into other cases and help the victims. The committee members will be announced soon,” said Manuke.
The case
The case pertains to ‘Grand Manor Homes’ — a lavish residential flats projects in Ishar Nagar (Behind Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College) in Ludhiana. With around 130 flats costing minimum Rs 55 lakh each, the project is worth over Rs 70 crore.
It is alleged that the flats have been constructed on agricultural land for which Change of Land Use (CLU) certificate was issued by Ludhiana Municipal Corporation based on forged land ownership documents.
AAP has claimed that as per the probe conducted by DSP (MC) Balwinder Singh Sekhon, who submitted his probe report to minister Sidhu, those whose names have figured prominently include minister Ashu, another Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal (contested Assembly polls 2017 on Congress ticket from Atam Nagar constituency) apart from three IAS officers and MC officials for gross negligence and issuing CLU without verifying land ownership documents for multi-crore housing project.
Minister Ashu and Karwal have been accused of allegedly providing political patronage to property owners and creating alleged hurdles in the inquiry.
Ashu, meanwhile, has asked Sidhu to explain that how his named cropped up in the report and has denied any connection with the project. “Either Sidhu should write to CM for action against me if there is any proof or else take action against officials who named me in the report,” he said. Congress leader Karwal has also denied any role in the project and said, “I have no connection with this project. I have done nothing.
