Defying poll code, officials give woollens to women

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, January 12

Defying the model code of conduct, Civil Surgeon of Moga district Dr Narinder Singh and District Health Officer Dr Naresh Gupta, along with other officials of the Health Department, distributed clothes and woollens to at least 37 women, who recently had a delivery, on the premises of the district hospital yesterday.

The Civil Surgeon has claimed that the simple function to distribute clothes, woollens, groundnuts and sweets was organised on the eve of Lohri. “It was aimed at curbing the menace of female foeticide,” he said.

With regard to the source of funds for the function, Dr Narinder Singh said that local NGOs had contributed the money for it. But he did not have the details of the NGOs.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that similar functions to distribute clothes and woollens were also being organised at all the civil hospitals in the district.

The district administration has not taken any note of this function, confirmed a senior official posted here.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Moga constituency Ramesh Grover has demanded action against the government officials who organised the function and distributed freebies to the women.