Beleagured MP launches counter-offensive against INLD

Fatehabad, Sept 7 (UNI) Congress MP from Sirsa Atma Singh Gill, under Opposition onslaught after being shown by TV channels in company of two women in a government rest house at Narwana, denied allegations of womanising levelled against him and launched a counter-offensive against the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

In a damage control excercise, Mr Gill sought to present before media his version of the last night's events and in a press conference held at the local Rest House, threatened to sue his political detractors who had tried to malign his reputation.

However, Mr Gill did not respond to a volley of questions raised by the media persons and instead resorted to distributing a press note, typed on his official letterhead, in which he alleged that the INLD president Om Parkash Chautala was inimical to him as he left his party in year 2000 due to the latter's ''anti-dalit'' attitude.

In the press note, the MP said that in his political career of 37 years he had always worked for the service of the poor and dalits and it was on the strength of his work he won the 2004 parliamentary election from Sirsa despite it being an INLD stronghold.

Giving his version of the last night's episode, the press note said that he was coming from Chandigarh with his two ''family members'' with whom he had stopped at Narwana rest house for the night.

He alleged that some 70-80 INLD activists attacked the rest house, hurled abuses on him and beat him up.

He maintained that the police saved his life by rescuing him and his family members from the rest house.

The note said that he had sent his son Jasbir Singh to lodge an FIR against the INLD men.

The beleaguered MP also announced a grant of Rs 2.5 lakh and a piece of land for the media persons for the construction of Press Bhawan at Fatehabad.

UNI