The Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President H.S. Lucky, Senior Deputy Mayor Jasbir Singh Bunty, Deputy Mayor Taruna Mehta, and Councillors Gurpreet Gabi, Sachin Galav, Darshna Rani, and Nirmala Devi on Wednesday held a joint press conference to strongly rebut the claims made by BJP leaders and the Mayor in their recent press briefing. The Congress leaders categorically rejected the BJP’s so-called “achievements,” stating that the past one year has been marked by failures, mismanagement, and anti-people decisions.
Addressing the media, Congress leaders said the tenure of the current Municipal Corporation Mayor has become a symbol of administrative chaos, insensitivity, and lack of direction in the history of Chandigarh. They asserted that this was not an allegation but the harsh reality of the last one year.
Gaushala Tragedy Reflects Insensitivity
Congress leaders recalled that within two days of the BJP Mayor assuming office, eight cows and one bull died due to electrocution at the Maloya Gaushala. Despite announcements of an inquiry, no impartial investigation or action has been taken so far. The subsequent death of more than 50 cows, bulls, and calves at the Raipur Kalan Gaushala further exposed the administration’s negligence, they said.
Financial Mismanagement Pushing MC Towards Bankruptcy
The Congress alleged that the Municipal Corporation was forced to withdraw money from the pension fund to pay employee salaries, which reflects severe financial mismanagement. They said the Corporation did not receive adequate funds from the Centre or the Administration, forcing employees and citizens to protest on the streets.
Water Supply System in Shambles
The promise of 24-hour water supply in Manimajra turned out to be a complete failure, causing inconvenience to residents and revenue losses to the Corporation. Even today, residents are forced to make repeated visits to MC offices for water connections and NOCs.
Job Losses and Anti-Worker Decisions
Fire brigade staff, tubewell operators, COVID field staff, and SCADA workers were removed from service despite their role during critical times, which Congress termed an inhuman and insensitive decision.
Increased Burden on Citizens
Congress leaders said an attempt was made to triple property tax, and after public opposition, it was doubled, creating anger among city residents.
Weakening of Municipal Corporation Autonomy
Major roads were handed over to the Chandigarh Administration, reducing the authority of the Municipal Corporation. The Congress also alleged a conspiracy to sell valuable land in Pocket No. 6 at throwaway prices.
Sanitation System Collapses
Garbage from Dadu Majra dumping ground was sent to other districts without processing, while the dry and wet waste segregation system completely failed, damaging Chandigarh’s cleanliness image.
False Development Claims
The Metro project remains only on paper, and replies in Parliament have exposed the hollowness of BJP’s claims, the Congress said.
Violation of Democratic Norms
Congress leaders accused the Mayor of running the Corporation unilaterally, ignoring the Senior Deputy Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and even councillors from his own party.
Reacting to BJP allegations against MP Manish Tewari, the Congress termed them misleading and said the MP has consistently raised Chandigarh’s issues in Parliament and before Union Ministers. They claimed he has worked to secure ₹1700 crore for the Corporation and supported reforms like a five-year tenure for a directly elected Mayor.
The Congress concluded by stating that people of Chandigarh are watching everything and that the BJP will be forced to answer for its failures in the Municipal Corporation elections scheduled for December 2026.
