SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded that state’s Health Minister be removed over alleged negligence in handling of Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa’s case at Amritsar’s Government Medical College Hospital. File)
Hours after an audio recording of Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa’s purported last call to his family from hospital bed went viral, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded that state’s Health Minister be removed over alleged negligence in handling of the case at Amritsar’s Government Medical College Hospital.
The call was allegedly made on Tuesday evening — hours before the raagi’s death due to cardiac arrest on on Wednesday morning. In the purported audio clip, Khalsa alleged that he was not being given proper treatment and wanted his son to shift him to private hospital.
In a tweet tagging the CM, Sukhbir said: “My heart is heavy with regret that we have let Panth’s gem Bhai Nirmal Singh ji slip out from amidst us due to sheer negligence of Amritsar Govt hospital. Bhai Sahab, his family & their cries for help went unheard by unequipped hospital, non-caring govt and its Health Minister.”
He added: “Immediate sacking of negligent Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and strict action against culprits is the need of the hour.”
Responding to these allegations, Minister for Medical Education and Research, O P Soni said: “We gave him VIP treatment. He was treated well. But he panicked and it led to deterioration in his health which became reason of his death.”
Verka villagers apologise
Meanwhile, Verka villagers have apologised for the controversy overRow the cremation of Nirmal Singh Khalsa. A handful had objected to his cremation at the village cremation ground. Later, villagers had provided separate land for for final rites. A letter by Verka villagers to Khalsa’s family said: “Confusion created by the administration led to controversy….We unintentionally made this mistake of opposing his cremation. There are some people making allegations that it was due to caste issue that cremation was denied. There are no caste issues in our village.”