District admin failed to maintain sanctity of Shimla MC Holiganism in meeting, media manhandled 

Sukhu government and district administration couldn’t smoothly hand over the transition of power in Shimla MC as its party workers belonged to agitated factions that created hooliganism and police security staff and rebuffed Congress workers manhandled media persons covering the event.

According to the official report on May 15, 2023, the newly elected councilors were sworn in at the DC Office’s Bachat Bhavan Shimla.

Soon after that, the election of the mayor and deputy mayor took place temper of some of the Congress party workers run high.

During the transition of power in Shimla MC general house for assuming office council of ministers including  Harshvardhan Chauhan, Anirudh Singh and Rohit Thakur and MLA Shimla  Harish Janartha was also present in the meeting. 

In the meeting unanimously, Chhota Shimla councilor Surendra Chauhan was elected as mayor and Tutti Kandi ward councilor Uma Kaushal as deputy mayor.  

During the meeting, a large crowd had gathered in the lobby outside and journalists were also gathered in the hall. 

 During this, a worker got into an argument with the journalists, on which everyone was thrown out of the lobby by the police station on the spot. 

Due to this the journalists got angry and boycotted the media coverage of this program. 

Before boycotting the function few media persons heard stating that journalists and Congress workers obstruct them from covering the event as party workers created indulged in hooliganism moreover, police staff deployed on the spot also supported hooligans.

”  We were heckled and a Media person  complained to the Superintendent of Police about the incidents.” The Media person said immediately left the venue.

  After the election of the mayor and deputy mayor, a rally was taken out from the DC office to the town hall where the Mayor assumed charge of the new office.

Meanwhile, new deputy mayor Uma Kaushal assumed office at Ajevika Bhawan near the Congress office instead of the Town hall.

Former mayor Sanjay Chauhan said in a statement that the decision to shift the Deputy Mayor’s office is unconstitutional and against the dignity of democracy. 

Municipal Corporation is a constitutional and autonomous body. This type of government interference in this cannot be justified!

 The office of the Municipal Corporation Shimla has been in the Town Hall since the British period and the Deputy Mayor’s room is also in this office, next to the Mayor.

 The restoration work of the Town Hall was done in our time and it houses the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councilor’s Chamber, Commissioner, House’s meeting room, and public facilities.

 The BJP has given the meeting room of the House to a private company and the Congress party has evicted the Deputy Mayor from his office.

 CPI(M) opposes this decision and in order to maintain the autonomy of the Municipal Corporation, demands the government to immediately change its decision and make the Deputy Mayor sit in his office.