Punjab Assembly adjourned for half hour on Ludhiana City Centre scam

Chandigarh, Sep 15 (UNI) The Punjab Legislative Assembly was adjourned for half an hour by Speaker Kewal Krishan following pandemonium in the House in the wake of Opposition demand for a CBI enquiry into the Ludhiana City Centre sacm.

The trouble started during a discussion on the adjournment motion, after the Question Hour, when the Oppostion members insisted on the CBI enquiry despite Chief Minister Amarinder Singh' assurance that he had already asked the Inspector General (Vigilance) to probe the matter. The notice of adjournment motion was given by leader of Opposition Parkash Singh Badal.

The Opposition members, raising anti-government slogans, came to the well of the House amidst uproar, demanding that the enquiry should be conducted by the CBI. When they did not relent and continued slogan-shouting, the Speaker adjourned the House for half an hour.

Earlier, Mr Badal initiating the discussion on the motion, said that 70 per cent of money involved in the project was unaccounted for. He alleged that terms and conditions for issuing tenders had been distorted at the instance of the Chief Minister. Despite the applications of well-to-do companies like DLF and EMAR, the project was sanctioned to Today Homes, a private building company.

Mr Badal pointed out that at one stage the Local Bodies Secretary had annuled the agreement but it was, inturn, put down by Local Bodies Minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh.

He alleged that there was involvement of Income Tax Department and, therefore, the enquiry be held by the CBI.

Choudhary Jagjit Singh said that irregularirties had been done at the level of Ludhiana Improvement Trust and he had submitted a report to the Chief Minister in this regard. He said that Mr Amarinder Singh was the first Chief Minister of Punjab to bring such a mega project to the state.

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