Amid controversies, corruption charges, arrest, leaked video tapes again brought change in the top seat of Health and Family Welfare Ministry. Punjab got to see ‘Third Health Minister” in less than 11 months of AAP government’s tenure.
Dr Vijay Singla was the first Health Minister who was accused by CM Bhagwant Mann of corruption charges and lost the portfolio in May Last year. Then Chetan Singh Jouramajra was appointed as Health Minister in July 2022.
The First Controversy was of Dr Vijay Singla allegedly seeking commission for allotment of funds in government tenders. Initially, 2 perent commission was sought against the total amount of Rs 58 crore, amounting to Rs 1.16 crore, but the complainant refused, according to the FIR.
Following this controversy, the Health Minister portfolio remained with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for almost one and a half months before Chetan Singh Jouramajra was appointed as 2nd Health Minister in the first week of July. Soon after taking the oath, Jouramajra’s act of dealing with a senior spine surgeon brewed a controversy when he allegedly tried to humiliate eminent spine surgeon Dr Raj Bahadur, who was serving as Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot on 29 July.