Indore: Taking everyone by surprise during Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC)’s council meeting on Thursday, Mayor Malini Gaud claimed that urban development and housing minister Jaivardhan Singh stopped them from taking action against Rajpal Automobiles when Congress corporators demanded cancelling the allocation of shop to the car decorator for doing illegal construction.
“We were going to take action (against Rajpal Automobiles owner) but the minister phoned us saying not to proceed. You people (Congress corporators) ask the minister whether action has to be taken or not. If he says go ahead, we will take action (against Rajpal Automobiles),” she said.
The Mayor’s claim led to heated arguments between Congress and BJP corporators.
Leader of Opposition in IMC, Fozia Sheikh Alim alleged that the Mayor made false claim without any proof. She stated that the Mayor dragged the minister’s name into the matter so that the Congress corporators leave the issue.
“Truth is that the IMC does not want to take action against Rajpal Automobiles which illegally dug inside the shop and created basement in violation of rules.
She stated that even if the Mayor’s claim is true, then also the IMC should act as per rules without listening to anybody.
A proposal was brought into the IMC council meeting for giving extension to people running their business in IMC shops in Shastri Market.
A BJP corporator claimed that many shopkeepers had done illegal constructions in the rented shops and a rethinking should be done over the proposal.
Congress corporator Anwar Dastak and Fozia then picked up the issue and singled out case of Rajpal Automobiles which as per them had done illegal construction in the shop in gross violation of norms.
A BJP corporator stated that Jaivardhan Singh had given copy of a letter to IMC with reference to a case of Bhopal stating that shops in Shastri Market should be penalized for illegal construction instead of any other action.
He flaunted copy of the letter on his mobile phone. Speaker Ajay Singh Naruka then stated that if anything has been stated by the government then it should be thought about. The din then ended.
