Shamlat land row: Ex-minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, MP Prem Singh Chandumajra in war of words

Mohali, October 20

A war of words began between former MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra and ex-Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu over the alleged Mohali shamlat land lease scam.

Chandumajra alleged that a piece of shamlat land worth Rs 90 crore was being given on lease of 33 years to a health company for merely Rs 2 crore on Balbir’s directions. He alleged that the gram panchayat had even given a letter to the ex-minister to stop the bidding process but the government was going ahead with it. Chandumajra said the bidding, to be held on November 25, would be opposed with full force. He alleged that in the past too, the shamlat land in Balongi, Dehri and Tangori villages had been lost in a similar way.

Reacting to Chandumajra’s allegation, local MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu said, “The MP was active in depriving the people of Punjab, especially of Mohali, of world-class healthcare facilities by obstructing the land lease for establishing a hospital by renowned cardiologist Dr TS Kaler in Bari village. I have no link with Kaler Holistic Health Care Pvt Ltd. Also, I am ready to give six acres of my private land in Kurdi village near the Mohali airport to Dr Kaler for free so that the locals could get world-class health facilities.” — TNS

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