MOHALI: High drama was witnessed when panchayat officers made a failed attempt to take possession of land belonging to former MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu’s NGO on Monday, two days after the AAP government cancelled its lease.
Supporters of Sidhu stopped panchayat officers who were accompanied by the local police. They did not let them enter the premises of a gaushala operating from the land. The state government had recently canceled the lease of the land of the trust called ‘Bal Gopal Gau Basera Welfare Society Mohali. The trust is in the name of Sidhu.
As panchayat officers reached the gaushala at 9 am to take possession, Sidhu was already present there with his supporters. They did not allow them to cross the gate. Cops even tried to break it but could not enter.
Sidhu asked officers if they have any orders to take possession of the land but officers “failed to produce any papers. Sidhu and his supporters raised slogans against Punjab chief minister and local MLA Kulwant Singh.
Sidhu said, “It was political vendetta, but we will not allow this to happen. We have already moved Punjab and Haryana High court against the cancellation of the lease. We are likely to get the stay orders again the cancellation of the lease.”
The organisation had acquired 10 acres of four kanals of shamlat land from Balongi gram panchayat under the 33 year lease policy of the Punjab government. The land was leased at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre under an agreement signed between the rural development and panchayat department and the organisation on October 7, 2020.
