Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday sacked health minister Dr. Vijay Singla from his Cabinet on charges of corruption for seeking “1 per cent cut in tenders allotment and purchase of goods related to the department.”Following this, Mann said he has directed the police to register a case against Singla. He said that Dr Singla had confessed to the crime to Mann himself.
The CM said, “As you all know, we are an honest government. We will not tolerate corruption of even Rs 1. Whenever I used to go to people in villages, towns and cities, I saw hope in their eyes. I saw that they had hope that there would be someone who would pull them out of corruption.
When I was to be announced the Chief Ministerial face, AAP’s revolutionary chief Arvind Kejriwal had said that he would not tolerate bribery and corruption. I had promised him that we will run this government the same way. I assured him that we will not spare anyone involved in corruption.”
“Mann had 10 ministers in this Cabinet. With the expulsion of Dr Singla, he is left with only nine ministers. As per the rules. Punjab can have 18 ministers including the Chief Minister.
Reacting to the CM’s decision, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said, “Aam Aadmi Party is the only party that has the integrity, courage & uprightness to take action against their own on grounds of corruption. We saw it in Delhi, now we are witnessing it in Punjab. Zero tolerance for corruption. Commendable decision by CM Bhagwant Mann.”