Jaipur: Congress Monday staged two protests over Jaipur’s civic problems, with police using water cannons to stop workers attempting to surround the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) headquarters during the city-wide ‘Hisab Mango Rally’. A separate ‘JDA Kooch’ in Jhotwara was halted by police before officials held talks with protesters. The larger rally, led by Jaipur city Congress committee president Sunil Sharma, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully, marched from Nehru Place on Tonk Road towards the JMC headquarters. Workers tried to cross barricades and enter the premises, triggering a prolonged scuffle before police used water cannons to push them back. The rally targeted damaged roads, potholes, waterlogging, poor sewerage and garbage collection despite residents paying door-to-door collection charges. Sharma said, “Roads are damaged, even a little rain causes waterlogging, and people pay tax for garbage collection, yet roads have become dumping grounds. This rally is against corruption in JMC.” Dotasra alleged, “There is corruption everywhere in JDA and JMC. People are struggling even for basic things like water and roads.” Jully said Congress would continue raising public concerns over poor civic services, crime and corruption both on the streets and in the Assembly. Meanwhile, former Jhothwara candidate Abhishek Choudhary led the ‘JDA Kooch’ over damaged roads, sewerage, drainage, high-tension lines, housing notices and pending lease issues. Police stopped the march, after which JDA officials held talks, and deputy commissioner Rajendra Singh Shekhawat assured action. Choudhary said the protest was postponed following the assurance and warned of another agitation if the issues remained unresolved.
