CHANDIGARH, JUNE 29: Stormy scenes played out within the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation today as opposition councillors staged a joint protest over recent public remarks from the ruling party leadership. The friction stemmed from statements made by Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra, which drew sharp criticism from regional representatives. Displaying signs and raising slogans on the floor of the House, Congress and AAP members formally called for the political chief to step down from his post.
Civic authorities tried to guide the focus back to scheduled municipal business, pointing out that official amends had been recorded. Mayor Saurabh Joshi asserted that the controversy had run its course from an administrative standpoint. He declared that the issue was put to rest the moment Malhotra issued an official clarification to the public.
“The issue had already been settled after Malhotra tendered an apology,” Mayor Joshi maintained, as he urged the house to return to the day’s legislative agenda.
The opposition block remained firm, with a core group of Congress legislators including Sachin Galav, Gurpreet Gabi, Premlata, and Jasbir Singh Bunty stating that the dignity of the house required a more thorough response. The session quickly dissolved into broader political maneuvering, with AAP members introducing questions about external institutional funding, while BJP councillors responded by raising separate disputes related to regional executive leadership.
The legislative gridlock coincided with a large-scale civic demonstration just outside the municipal compound gates. Led by the local Congress unit, citizens gathered to press for the execution of a previously approved resolution regarding free domestic water distribution.
Addressing the crowds, city Congress chief HS Lucky declared that the administrative slowdown in delivering the 20,000-litre water subsidy constitutes an anti-people stance. He affirmed that the current impasse showcases a combined governance failure, adding that the organization will continue to push for the immediate release of the water allocation as a matter of public entitlement.
