Chandigarh, India: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday sacked state’s Health Minister Vijay Singla following complaints of corruption against him.
According to Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts.
The CMO said that concrete evidence was found against Singla.
“For the second time in the history of the country, a Chief Minister took strict action directly against his minister,” claimed the Punjab CM Office in a statement.
Earlier, in the year 2015, Delhi Chief Minister had sacked one of his ministers in a corruption case, added the Punjab CMO.
“People have formed the government of Aam Aadmi Party with great expectations, and it is our duty to live up to that expectation,” said Mann
He further said that as long as “mother India has sons like Arvind Kejriwal and soldiers like Bhagwant Mann, the great war against corruption will continue”.
“Arvind Kejriwal had made a promise that we would uproot corruption. There is no place for 1 per cent corruption,” he said.
‘Proud of you Bhagwant’: Kejriwal
In New Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he is proud of Mann.
“Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes. The whole nation today feels proud of AAP,” Kejriwal tweeted.
The Punjab Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He said that he has sacked Singla from the cabinet and directed Police to register a case against him.
“I am taking strict action against that minister, sacking him from the cabinet and directing the Police to register a case against him. That Minister is Vijay Singla. He had indulged in corruption in his department, and he also confessed to it. AAP has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption,” said Mann.
“A case had come to my knowledge, a minister of my government was demanding a 1 per cent commission for every tender. I took it very seriously. Nobody knew about it, had I wanted it could have brushed it under the carpet. But I would have broken the trust of people who trusted me,” Punjab CM added.
Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Branch arrested Punjab Minister Vijay Singla following corruption allegations against him.
