MP, three MLAs, mayor call on Sidhu; Rinku skips meeting

PATCHUP MODE Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary says they have ‘settled issues’ with the minister; but gives no details

JALANDHAR: The rift between local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Jalandhar (West) MLA Sushil Kumar Rinku continued as the latter didn’t accompany the other MLAs and an MP, who met the former in Chandigarh on Wednesday to settle the differences.

Those who met Sidhu included Jalandhar member of Parliament Santokh Singh Chaudhary and three MLAs, including Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantonment), Avtar Henry Junior (North) and Rajinder Beri (Central) and mayor Jagdish Raja.

The controversy over the crackdown against illegal constructions ordered by Sidhu had intensified after Rinku didn’t let the municipal corporation officials to demolish an illegal colony near Deol Nagar, Kala Sangha road here on Friday last. Rinku is also annoyed over Sidhu’s ‘chor MLA’ remark.

MP Chaudhary said that they settled all issues with the minister.

However, he did given any details of the issues discussed in the meeting.

“Sidhu clarified that the sites where 30-40%construction has already been done will be covered under the one-time settlement policy,” he said.

Sidhu, talking to this reporter on phone, said he has given a list of 96 sites — of which he was able to visit only 35 on Thursday last week — to mayor Jagdish Raja and directed him to assess the situation and take action accordingly within 15 days.

UPCOMING ONE-TIME SETTLEMENT POLICY

On the upcoming one-time settlement policy, Sidhu said that the policy is meant for the poor and not for the rich people, who are trying to benefit under the policy.

“I won’t allow any rich person to run his business by misusing the policy and anyone wants to set up a new colony or building has to follow the rules,” Sidhu said. Speaking on the crackdown,

The minister said no building was demolished which was inhabited.

› I have given a list of 96 sites — of which I was able to visit only 35 on Thursday last week — to mayor Jagdish Raja and told him to assess the situation and take action accordingly in 15 days. NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, local bodies minister