Row over PHC: Panchayats to protest against Bhadaur MLA

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, January 28

A day after Bhadaur MLA Labh Singh Ugoke allegedly threatened Sukhvinder Singh Calcutta, the son of Sehna Sarpanch Malkiat Kaur, for opposing the opening of an Aam Aadmi Clinic in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) of Sehna, area sarpanches have announced that they would launch an agitation against the MLA if he fails to apologise.

“Sukhvinder was speaking in front of the MLA as the representative of the village and the latter should not have used such insulting language. We have decided to protest in front of the house of the MLA next Saturday at Tapa if he fails to apologise. All panchayats of the state have conveyed their support to Sukhvinder,” said Ravinder Rinku, chief of Panchayat Union, Punjab, after presiding over a meeting of various panchayats at Sehna.

Sukhvinder said he had told MLA Ugoke that they welcome the decision of the Punjab Government to open clinics and he offered free land and a free building to start the clinic and only requested that government should not convert their PHC into a clinic, which should be opened in another building.

“But MLA Ugoke lost cool in front of police and civil officers and threatened to put me behind bars. Today, our Member Parliament (MP) Simranjit Singh Mann also came to extend support and demanded the registration of an FIR against MLA. Other sarpanches and political parties have also offered support. MLA Ugoke should be dismissed immediately,” said Sukhvinder.

The Sangrur MP also demanded legal action against the MLA and also gave Rs 5 lakh for Sehna hospital and other developmental works.

The MLA on Friday had denied the allegations and said, “I told him that had we not been respecting you, we would have slapped you and put you behind bars. The Punjab Government is opening the clinics to improve health facilities, but some persons are trying to misguide area residents.”