Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Sujanpur (Pathankot)
Film star and BJP candidate Sunny Deol is slowly learning the nuances of electoral politics as, steered by his poll managers, he has started to address the Assembly-wise problems of people of this parliamentary constituency.
Today, he assured residents of a sub-mountainous cluster of 50 villages, located in the Dhar block of the Sujanpur Vidhan Sabha seat, that he would get the politically sensitive issue of Dogra certificate looked into by the Central government, if elected.
The BJP think tank, monitoring his campaign, has asked local leaders to meet Deol personally before he starts his road shows in their respective Assembly seats “and acquaint him with local issues so that he connects with the electorate”.
In Niyari village, which forms a part of the affected cluster of hamlets in Sujanpur, local MLA Dinesh Babbu apprised Deol that residents were angry because of the abolition of the Dogri certificate five years ago. The document used to give relaxation in recruitment in government jobs in chest and height measurements.
Residents of the affected villages, who have been deprived of the benefits, were so disgruntled that they had decided to press the NOTA button. “Politicians have been pulling wool over our eyes for the last several years claiming that they will get the certificate reintroduced. Now Deol has given an undertaking and we hope he stands by it,” said Maghar Singh, president of the Kandi Vikas Parishad (KVP).
Dinesh Babbu agreed that the problem was genuine. “Deol has already spoken to some BJP leaders in New Delhi after he got to know of the grievance,” he said.
Sources say Babbu informed the actor that the area has 25,000 votes, enough to swing an election either way.
Toeing the party line, Babbu kept on informing the actor about local problems wherever he went. The actor’s road show today touched as many as 22 villages.
“Paying cess of Rs 132 per month to the state government for water supply facilities which do not exist, Dogra certificate, lack of education and health facilities are our other problems which our next MP should address,” averred Jagjit Singh, general secretary of the KVP.
The actor said residents of Niyari and Ucha Tharra villages had brought to his notice that potable water facilities were virtually non-existent. “I will look into the grievance. At some places I have asked sarpanches to meet me with their requirements. I do not know what earlier politicians have done but I definitely will make a difference,” he maintained.
Plaints against Deol
The Shiv Sena Hindu on Friday made a complaint at the New Baradari police station in Jalandhar against Sunny Deol for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments during a road show in Gurdaspur. Outfit president Ishant Sharma alleged that during the road show, the BJP Gurdaspur candidate was sitting with his shoes on atop the truck which was having picture of Lord Shiva above the front panel. Amritsar RTI activist Suresh Sharma along with Varun Rana and Vishal Joshi on Friday submitted a similar complaint against Deol.
