UNPAID HIRELINGS AT RALLY

IT IS not unusual for a political party to run its office from hired premises and hire vehicles for campaigns and rallies. But the Udaipur police is struggling to find a way to deal with a complaint filed against a local ruling party leader for hiring labourers to accord a warm welcome to Union minister for road transport and highways C.P. Joshi on January 14.

A group of 28 labourers went to the Surajpole police station on January 13 and lodged a complaint against Congress leader Ghanshyam Dhabhai, saying that he had hired them for a day and promised to pay `250 each, but the money had not been paid.

According to Hiralal Savli, who led the labourers, the wage earners were approached by the Congress leader at an intersection where they had assembled for work. They were hired and assigned the job of offering garlands to netas. The labourers said they followed the instructions, raised slogans for Mr Joshi, but were not paid as promised.

Mr Dhabhai denied the reports and said the wage earners came of their own will to welcome Mr Joshi.

“Despite being in power, the Congress is facing a shortage of workers,” says Rajesh Singhvi, a CPM municipal councillor in Udaipur.

Those in the political know don’t think anything will come of the complaint because every party makes false promises. “It is dangerous to file FIRs challenging false promises, because all political parties do that, sabhi fansege jhoote wadon me (all will be in trouble for making false promises),” a political worker said.