Hatinder Mehta
Jalandhar, 16 January
Simranjit Singh, an RTI activist from the city, has filed a complaint with the Punjab Governor and Director General of Police (DGP) accusing Mayor Vaneet Dhir of violating the law.
Simranjit Singh alleged that the mayor’s vehicle is equipped with these devices without any authorization in violation of government directives aimed at eradicating VIP culture. He said that such actions are in violation of the notification of the Punjab Government issued on April 15, 2017 and reiterated in the order dated June 14, 2019. These directives limit the use of red and blue lights for emergency and disaster management vehicles and expressly prohibit their use. He mentioned the similar violation by former mayor Sunil Jyoti during his tenure. He claimed that he had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Jyoti for illegally using the beacon. Following a PIL, the courts directed the former mayor to remove the unauthorized beacon. In his complaint, Simranjit has expressed frustration over repeated violations by government officials. “The government has promulgated these laws to ensure transparency and eradicate the culture of entitlement. In this regard, the mayor and other officials were contacted several times but they did not pick up the phone.