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Updated June 9th, 2021 at 20:29 IST

SAD to hold dharna at Punjab CM Captain Amarinder's home on June 15 to oust his Health Min

The SAD will be holding a dharna outside the residence of CM Amarinder Singh on June 15 to demand the immediate removal of Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu

Reported by: Gloria Methri
PTI/Instagram
PTI/Instagram | Image:self
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The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced on Wednesday that it would hold a ‘dharna’ at the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on June 15 to demand the immediate removal of Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and a CBI probe into the vaccine and Fateh kit scams.

The SAD said it would also demand that the acquisition of land to construct national highways be done on the market rate along with an award of displacement compensation to farmers. The party also vowed to join the farmers’ protest against the ridiculously low compensation for their land compared to the policy formulated by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government in the state.

SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said party President Sukhbir Singh Badal would lead the symbolic ‘dharna’ at the CM’s residence on June 15, which would be attended by the party’s senior leadership including core committee and PAC members, legislators, former legislators, a constituency in charge, district presidents and youth office bearers.

'Govt profiteering from people's misery'

Cheema said the vaccine scam and the Fateh kit scam had shaken the conscience of Punjabis who were shocked to learn that an elected government was profiting from their misery during the pandemic.

“Though the Congress government has admitted its fault in the vaccine scam whereby it sold vaccines to private hospitals at huge margins and in turn allowed the latter to charge steep premiums, no action has been taken against anyone. Instead of dismissing the Health minister, Capt Amarinder Singh is shielding him and even trying to silence the opposition by registering cases against senior Akali leaders for holding a peaceful and democratic protest to demand justice in the case,” the party spokesperson said.  

He affirmed that the voice of the SAD could not be suppressed by the ‘high-handed tactics’ of the Congress government and that it would intensify its agitation further if those guilty of the scam were not punished.

What is 'Fateh Kit Scam'?

Last month, CM Amarinder Singh had launched a "COVID Fateh" drive to tackle the spread of coronavirus in rural areas of the state. He had referred to it as a "war that needed the involvement of all sections of the community". As per reports, a Fateh COVID kit consists of a digital thermometer, a steamer, a fingertip pulse oxymeter, vitamin C limcee and zinc tablets, vitamin D3 capsules, Ayush kwath, Dolo and other COVID medicines.

SAD's Badal said the original tender was won by Sangam Medical Store by quoting a figure of Rs 837 per kit but the tender was unexplainably allotted to the medical store at Rs 940 per kit on April 3. He said even though this tender was valid for a six-month period for the supply of 3.5 lakh kits, the government reinvited tenders on April 20 and issued a purchase order for the supply of the same kits to Grandway Incorporation at Rs 1226 per kit.

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Published June 9th, 2021 at 20:29 IST

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