Delay in GMC triggers protests in Sangrur

Sangrur, December 15

The construction of Government Medical College (GMC), Mastuana Sahib, Sangrur, seems a distant dream and protests have started in front of the Sangrur DC office and at Longowal after a controversy over the ownership of land donated for the college.

Members of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha also called a meeting to announce their future course of action today, but they deferred their decision after all organisations failed to attend the meeting. Sensing delay, the Sangrur administration started searching for a suitable rental location for MBBS classes from the next session.

“The government had got the land of the Sant Attar Singh Gursagar Mastuana Trust transferred in its name through an illegal committee. The government should cancel its registration and take action against officers, involved in the illegal registration of land. We have started protest here,” said Jagmale Singh Chhajla, president of the All-India Granthi Raagi Parcharak Singh Sabha. They have named their morcha as the Guru Piari Sadh Sangat Morcha.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann laid the foundation stone of the institute on August 5 and it’s to come up on 25 acres at a cost of around Rs 345 crore. But after the controversy over the ownership of land, not a brick has been laid. The land is registered under the name of Gurdwara Sachkhand Angitha Sahib and it is under the Sant Attar Singh Gursagar Mastuana Trust.

Residents are also protesting in front of the residence of Gobind Singh Longowal, who is a former president of the SGPC, for the early construction of the GMC.

“Some residents are instigating others against me without any reasons as I have no authority. The SGPC and the government should start communication directly. Only the SGPC can give land not any other committee,” said Longowal.

“Since Mann has announced to start classes from the next session and the construction of the GMC has not started as yet due to a controversy, we have been looking for a rental space to start classes of MBBS,” said Jitendra Jorwal, the Sangrur DC.