Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal was today detained by the Punjab Police and was taken to Kurali Police Station during a protest against the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government. SAD president and party workers were protesting outside CM Singh’s residence in Siswan demanding the resignation of Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu over his role in the sale of vaccines to private hospitals and alleged irregularities in the purchase of medical kits.
Badal also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident. “If a storm rises, Captain Amarinder Singh won’t be able to stop it, even if he uses all his force. There is a scam in vaccination, there is a scam in Fateh Kit, there is a scam in SC scholarship, farmers’ land is being acquired,” said Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Badal said that he was arrested with hundreds of SAD and BSP workers. “Courted arrest with hundreds of SAD & BSP workers while marching to CM Captain Amarinder Singh”s farmhouse near Chd to demand arrest of health min Balbir Singh for vaccine & Fateh kit scams besides need to give market rate to farmers whose lands are acquired for highway projects,” he said.
Courted arrest with hundreds of SAD & BSP workers while marching to CM @capt_amarinder's farmhouse near Chd to demand arrest of health min @BalbirSinghMLA for vaccine & fateh kit scams besides need to give market rate to farmers whose lands are acquired for highway projects.1/2 pic.twitter.com/8YFYQpiPPY
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) June 15, 2021
Badal said that SAD and BSP have decided to make Congress leaders accountable for corruption done by them.
“Earlier thousands of SAD-BSP workers collected near Captain Amarinder Singh’s farmhouse to wake the arrogant ‘raja’ from his slumber & demand justice for people of Punjab. SAD-BSP have decided to make all Congress leaders accountable for corruption done by them once it forms the government in 2022,” said Badal.
Police used water cannons on the protesters to control the crowd. According to reports, those protesting flouted social distancing norms and a majority of them were not wearing masks.
Notably, Badal had alleged that the Punjab government procured vaccines at Rs 400 per dose and sold it to private hospitals for Rs 1060 per dose. Badal had also demanded that the health minister should be sacked.
After the issue was raised, the Punjab government withdrew the order to sell vaccines to private hospitals. Health Minister Balbir Singh even said that he may himself inquire into the allegations of irregularities.
