Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 12

Congress Jalandhar-West MLA Sushil Rinku, who in June made headlines when he sat on a JCB machine to oppose a demolition drive ordered by Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, is at it again.

During a demolition drive in Basti Danishmandan on Friday, he confronted Joint Commissioner Aashika Jain, threatening her publicly. “Aap to lady ho, koi gents hota toh phir mein batata ke kaise behave karta hoon. (Had you been a man, I would have shown you how I behave),” he shouted, pointing a finger at her and daring her to set foot in his constituency. Mustering courage, the young newly recruited IAS officer argued she was barely implementing the law, to which he retorted: “Your kanoon (law) will not work here. It is the people’s law which will be executed here. The people are ready to pay fee whenever the regularisation policy is implemented.Things will not work like this. It is my first meeting with you and I have said all that I wanted to.”

Apprehending the situation could go out of hand, the officer chose to leave the site immediately. Back in the MC office, she filed a written complaint with Commissioner Diprava Lakra. “I worked as per the law and will continue to do so. I have reported the matter to my senior,” she said. Lakra maintained that facing such situations was a part of the job. “We will continue to enforce the law. Let me see what is to be done.”

Jalandhar DC Varinder Kumar Sharma called it “highly condemnable”. KBS Sidhu of the IAS Association, Punjab, said: “We will support the young woman officer to the hilt, whichever way she wants — be it a representation to the government or a protest.”