Punjab: Unruly scenes in House as SAD seeks health minister’s dismissal

A World Bank team will visit Amritsar on March 3 to give a presentation on the project. Tenders will also be floated the same month.

Unruly scenes were witnessed in the Punjab assembly on Thursday after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) sought dismissal of health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu over the alleged issue of diversion of buprenorphine tablets from de-addiction centres across the state.

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Speaking during the zero hour, SAD MLA Bikram Singh Majithia claimed that a scam of ₹200 crore had taken place wherein 5 crore buprenorphine tablets, a scheduled drug, had gone missing from drug de-addiction centres.

He said a case should be registered against Sidhu and demanded his dismissal from the cabinet.

“We demand inquiry into the matter and also dismissal of the minister,” Majithia said.

Replying to the allegations, Sidhu said he had already ordered a probe into the matter.

Sidhu allegedly used some objectionable words against Majithia, following which the Akali legislators stormed the Well of the House.

As their demand of ordering a probe into the matter was not accepted, the Akali MLAs staged a walkout of the House.