Setback for Mansa residents; Dr Vijay Singla was first Cabinet minister from district

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, May 24

The arrest of Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla over charges of corruption today has come as a setback for Mansa residents, who had been pinning their hopes on the district’s first Cabinet minister to usher in growth.

Hoped for all-round development

People had given a huge mandate to him, but his arrest has come as a huge setback for us. We were hoping for all-round development of city. Bikkar Singh, a resident

A pall of gloom descended on the Mansa MLA’s residence here, which until yesterday remained abuzz with party activities. Barring, a few police personnel deployed as a precautionary measure, his house wore a deserted look after his arrest.

Dr Singla had shifted to the new house on the Chakerian road in Mansa a few days ago, after selling his old house in ward No. 10 in the city.

Local residents had been pinning their hopes on Dr Singla for all-round development of the district. Mansa, which became a separate district way back in 1992, has remained under-represented in the state Cabinet and lacks in education and health sectors.

The residents were upbeat at the elevation of Dr Singla as Cabinet Minister two months ago. When he was given the Health portfolio, the residents had been expecting better health facilities in the area, but all their hopes seem to have been dashed with the turn of events.

Bikkar Singh, a resident, said: “People had given a huge mandate to Dr Singla, but CM Bhagwant Mann’s action following corruption charges today has come as a huge setback for us. We were hoping for development of Mansa city.”

Former MLA Hardev Arshi said: “It is a welcome step by the CM to act against own minister, but it needs to be thoroughly probed how he was so brazenly involved in corruption. It is shattering for the people of Mansa as he was the first Cabinet minister from the district.”

In 2017, Mansa had elected an AAP MLA, Nazar Singh Manshahia, but he had defected to the Congress in April 2019 during the Lok Sabha polls.