Credit war over school project in Nawanshahr

As Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a block in the re-christened School of Eminence here, former Congress MLA Angad Saini claimed that the work on the project had actually been started during his tenure. He even alleged that a stone that he had laid at the site had been dismantled and asked the police to lodge an FIR for the same.

Saini was not allowed to enter the school even after the function held under the banner of Punjab Sikhya Kranti had got over. The local DSP and SHO stopped him from entering the premises but he chose to address the media from outside the campus, went live on social media and shared his side of story. “This was no ‘Sikhya Kranti’ but just a ‘Foundation stone kranti’. It was in 2020 Punjab Budget that then Finance Minister Manpreet Badal had sanctioned Rs 5 crore for this project. Since Covid had struck just then, the work could be started on June 8, 2021, when I had laid a stone here. Before the Congress government’s tenure had ended, the basic structure of the basement, ground and the first floor of the building was completed", he said, adding that his government had named it ‘Smart School’.

He went on, “In three years, they have just completed the remaining three floors and are now taking credit for it. But I ask them what is their actual contribution for Nawanshahr. The CM cannot get an ongoing work completed, lay his stone and even claim credit for it. Worst is that they demolished the foundation stone that I had got laid. They cannot do this. It even bore the name of then Deputy Commissioner Shena Agarwal. It was a plaque installed from the funds of the government, not my personal funds. They cannot demolish a government structure. They surely can add one of their own."

Saini said, “I shall also lodge a complaint over the demolition of the stone with the police". He dared the SHO and DSP standing at the site to lodge a case over his complaint. “The AAP government has done the same even in the case of the sports complex project in Nawanshahr and a countless number of road work projects started by me."

Saini said he did not try to disrupt the function in any way. “I went not just after the function but even after the school had got over at 2 pm. Still the police on guard did not let me enter and see things after everything was over. I fail to understand their apprehensions", he said.

Jalandhar