AAP demands Punjab Health Minister’s resignation over ‘vaccine scam’
Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Mohali, June 6
Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers today held a protest near the residence of Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu demanding his resignation over the “vaccine scam”.
The protest was led by Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Saravjit Kaur Manuke, MLAs Jai Kishan Singh Rodi, Amarjit Singh Sandoa, Youth Wing co-president Anmol Gagan Mann and senior leader Manwinder Singh Giasarpura. They raised slogans against the Punjab government and also burnt an effigy of the Health Minister.
The district police had made elaborate arrangements by putting up barricades on the roads leading to the minister’s residence. Later, these leaders, along with the party workers, courted arrest as the police did not allow them to move towards the minister’s residence. They were taken to the Matour police station from where they were released after a few hours.
Earlier addressing the protesters, Saravjit Kaur Manuke said the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government had procured vaccination under the state quota and sold it to private hospitals at higher rates. She demanded that Balbir Singh Sidhu should immediately be sacked from the Punjab Cabinet and a criminal case be registered against him.
The AAP leaders stated that the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government and Balbir Singh Sidhu were fleecing innocent people of the state even in this hour of crisis.
“The government bought the vaccine for Rs400 for the people of Punjab and sold it to private hospitals for Rs1,060. It has unethically earned crores of rupees and now closed vaccination centres claiming vaccine shortage,” they said.
The leaders said people of Punjab were now aware of the misdeeds of the Congress government. In the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections to be held in 2022, they would give a befitting reply to the Congress.
Meanwhile, coming to the rescue of the Health Minister, Amrik Singh Somal and Kuljit Singh Bedi, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively, condemned the demand of BJP, Akali Dal and AAP leaders seeking resignation of Balbir Singh Sidhu. They questioned on what grounds the Akalis, who had devastated the health and education sectors of Punjab, were now demanding Sidhu’s resignation. They said two lakh people had already been administered the Covid vaccine in Mohali city alone, while 4.25 lakh people had been vaccinated in Mohali district.
The Senior Deputy Mayor and the Deputy Mayor said all these vaccinations were provided free of cost and Congress volunteers and leaders extended this facility to people by organising regular vaccination camps. They said the Health Minister was not aware of this and as soon as he was informed about it, vaccine stock had been recalled from private hospitals immediately. So, it was no longer an issue that was being deliberately raised by the Opposition.
