Despite its Lok Sabha members from Punjab divided over the leadership tussle going on in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday organised a cycle rally in Ludhiana to protest against the culture of extravagant spending by the VIPs.
Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, who has been contesting the anti-Sikh riot cases in Delhi and who was also the party’s candidate from Ludhiana in the Lok Sabha elections, said the rally would go all the way up to Chandigarh to highlight the malaise of VIP culture and security on which nearly Rs 10 crore was being spent each year.
He said at a time when Punjab is battling drug menace and very few de-addiction centres have been opened in the State, criminal wastage of money is taking place as expensive vehicles are being bought at government expense.
Mr Phoolka noted that Punjab Chief Minister’s entourage was among the largest in the country comprising 40 vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser. He also pointed out that 1,294 VIPs are being protected by 4,121 police personnel in the State which left only 7,758 police personnel to guard the remaining 2.7-crore population.
The AAP leader also highlighted how on the one hand the State has not been paying salaries to its staff, teachers and college professors and on the other huge sums are being spent on the elected representatives.
The rally has come at a time when the party cadre in the State has been left divided and disillusioned by the sacking of senior leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from the national executive in Delhi.
While Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi had openly taken sides with Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan and had taken on Arvind Kejriwal camp, the Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann and Fatehgarh Sahib MP Harinder Singh Khalsa had supported the Chief Minister. In fact both Dr. Gandhi and Mr Mann had even taken each other on in a television debate on Saturday evening. Faridkot MP Sadhu Singh is the only leader who has played his cards close to his chest.
