SGPC says Panj Piara health centres renamed as Aam Aadmi clinics; SAD calls it sacrilege

Dhami said they have now been changed as Aam Aadmi clinics by the AAP government by putting up boards with Chief Minister Bhagwcant Mann’s picture, which has hurt Sikh sentiments.

He said it is an insult to memorials of the Sikh community. The SGPC executive committee also passed a resolution condemning the move and ‘warned’ AAP government to desist from playing with the religious sentiments of Sikhs for political gain.

Dhami asked whether Mann is above the Panj Piaras. “SGPC warns the government of Punjab to withdraw this action immediately and if it is delayed, the government will be responsible for increasing Sikh anger.”

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal termed it as sacrilege. “Can any Sikh impose his own photo or party’s name on images of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji or his beloved ones? Bhagwant Mann has done just that. This sacrilege, committed by Punjab CM, dancing to the tunes of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, must be forcefully condemned and resisted. And I warn Kejriwal not to persist with this arrogant affront to Sikh heritage. The move must be opposed by all devout followers of Guru Sahiban,” he tweeted.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said Kejriwal had in 2019 said that the AAP did not believe in changing names, but making lives better.

“However, in Punjab, the party is doing the opposite. It first turned 100 Seva Kendra buildings into mohalla clinics. Now, it has turned 500 primary health centre buildings into ‘aam aadmi Clinics,” he said.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, in a statement, said these clinics looked more like AAP offices and extension counters than health centres. He said the state government was only renaming the already existing facilities as its purpose was more to gain “political mileage” than provide health care to the people.

Warring asked why these clinics were named as Aam Aadmi clinics with the chief minister’s photograph rather than as “government clinics”.

“Who is paying for it, the government or the AAP?” he asked while asserting that these clinics should be renamed.

“First of all, there was no need to open such clinics as Punjab already has a robust healthcare system which was proved by the fact that the government was only renaming the existing health facilities and superimposing the party’s name on them which is illegal,” he said. Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said “superficial” and “half-hearted” measures would not be sufficient to make Punjab a ‘Rangla’ (vibrant) state.

It is a well-known fact that government-run dispensaries, especially in rural areas, and civil hospitals are a picture of absolute neglect, and patients and their attendants have been continuously demanding upgradation of these medical facilities, he said.

“However, instead of improving and investing in the aforesaid shortcomings, the AAP government is spending crores of rupees of the state exchequer to deck up these so-called mohalla clinics so that they look outwardly good in appearance,” he said.

All India Kissan Congress president Sukhpal Singh Khaira also objected to naming the centres as ‘Aam Aadmi clinics’. He said this was “clear misuse and abuse of the state resources to promote the ruling political party in Punjab, which is unprecedented and unacceptable”. Khaira pointed out that former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s pictures were removed from the government ambulances and also former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s pictures were removed from the national highways in 2004.

Meanwhile, the AAP refuted the allegations. “Opposition is deliberately spreading fake propaganda to mislead the people. The looteras of SAD, Congress and BJP are unable to tolerate Punjab’s development, hence resorting to such dirty tricks. Honour of ‘Panj Piyaare’ & the entire Sikh community stands atop of our Aam Aadmi Clinics,” party said in a tweet.