CHANDIGARH, JUNE 29: The General House meeting of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation witnessed intense disruption today following controversial remarks attributed to Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra. Members from the opposition benches vociferously protested against the comments regarding Punjabis, which allegedly characterized them as “emotional bloody fools.” Holding posters inside the House, representatives from both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party demanded Malhotra’s immediate resignation from public life.
Local administrative leaders attempted to restore order by noting that formal apologies had already been tendered regarding the matter. Mayor Saurabh Joshi stated that the situation should be considered resolved following the public retraction. He affirmed that the necessary expressions of regret had been made, though opposition members continued to press their demands for accountability.
“The issue has already been settled after Malhotra tendered an apology,” Mayor Joshi declared during the proceedings.
The protest inside the chambers was led by several senior representatives, including Congress councillors Gurpreet Gabi, Premlata, Sachin Galav, and Jasbir Singh Bunty, who insisted that a standard retraction was insufficient. The legislative session grew further complicated as parties traded political charges. While AAP representatives sought clarifications on separate religious donation funds, the treasury benches counteracted by raising governance issues concerning neighboring administrations.
Outside the legislative building, the political momentum translated into public demonstrations centered on civic amenities. The Chandigarh Pradesh Congress organized a major rally demanding the immediate implementation of a welfare measure providing 20,000 litres of free water monthly to city households.
Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky asserted that the delay in rolling out the water policy undermines the welfare of local residents. He maintained that the administrative stall reflects poorly on the operational capabilities of the ruling coalition, declaring that the proposed utility quota is a basic right for every household rather than a political concession.
