The Times of India             22.10.2013

Kanpur Municipal Corporation squad removes hoardings

KANPUR: The squads of Kanpur Municipal Corporation, on Monday, removed many hoardings, banners and posters erected at prominent spots for Narendra Modi's rally. The local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party accused the civic authorities of adopting a partisan approach while removing the hoardings.

City BJP chief Surendra Maithani alleged that the authorities have been acting in a biased manner. "Action taken by KMC staff is selective and unfair. Why the KMC staff didn't remove the hoardings of Samajwadi Party politicians, including chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's erected in almost every nook and corner of the city. But posters, banners and hoardings of BJP leaders are being removed," he said.

KMC official R Shukla said: "Such allegations are baseless. We have been strict and acting against all illegal hoardings. We haven't spared anyone."

Defending the KMC, he added, "Our staff is not at all selective. it is initiating action only against illegal hoardings without any political consideration."

BJP spokesman Satendra Pandey said if authorities were serious about the removal of hoardings, then they should remove all the illegal hoardings put up by the Samajwadi as well as other political parties, including Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress.

"We will stage protest if such cheap tactics against us continues," Pandey said. He said the BJP had paid the fees to the authorities for putting up the hoardings and accused the KMC of acting at the behest of the ruling party.