Reiterating his government’s firm commitment to make Punjab a corruption free state, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday dismissed health minister Dr Vijay Singla for seeking one per cent commission in a department headed by him.
“My government is having zero tolerance towards corruption and no one, howsoever affluent he may be, will be allowed to continue such malpractices ”, said the CM.
Mann categorically said that he had dismissed Dr Singla from his Cabinet and asked the police to register a case against him. He said that since the case was only in his knowledge so he could have easily buried it or ignored it. Mann, however, said after taking oath at the sacred soil of Khatkar Kalan he had vowed to make Punjab corruption free and this is a historic step towards this cause.
The CM said people had chosen them for a transparent and corruption free system and he is duty bound to fulfil the aspirations of every Punjabi.
He said that since 75 years of Indian Independence there is no such parallel in the state whereas Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had taken such a bold step in 2015 when he had dismissed his food and supply minister on charges of corruption. Bhagwant Mann said that the message is loud and clear that corrupt practices will not be allowed in the state.
Mann said his predecessors had been shielding the corrupt and then saying that they knew about corruption being done by their ministers. He, however, said that such practices would not be tolerated in Punjab now. He said that Dr Singla has admitted his crime and now the law will take its own course.
Taking a dig at the Opposition, the CM said they will fire political salvos regarding corruption on his government. But, Mann said that he has taken action against the corrupt whereas the Opposition had always sheltered and promoted the corrupt leaders.
He said that the intention and vision of his government is clear that corrupt practices will not be allowed and anyone indulging in this will have to face serious repercussions.