Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Saturday inducted first time MLA from Patiala Rural, Dr Balbir Singh, into his Cabinet, hours after Fauja Singh Sarari tendered his resignation from the council of ministers citing personal reasons. Balbir Singh is currently out on bail. He was sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment eight months ago sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment in an assault case filed by his sister-in-law. Balbir Singh (66) was administered oath by Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of Mann. He has been allotted the key Department of Health and Family Welfare, which was earlier held by Chetan Singh Jouramajra, as Mann also rejigged portfolios of some ministers. An eye surgeon and an environmentalist, Balbir Singh had defeated senior Congress leader Brahm Mohindra's son Mohit Mohindra from Patiala Rural seat in the assembly polls held last year. Earlier in the day, Sarari resigned from the cabinet, four months after an audio clip where he was purportedly heard discussing a plan to trap some contractors for alleged extortion went viral. I was only one of a billion helpless Indian voters, who always got cheated. ZERO chance of me entering politics. Then @ArvindKejriwal gave me a new vision, a greater cause! S.@BhagwantMann gave me a chance to make a difference. They made me an MLA & minister. I m deeply thankful! pic.twitter.com/Zu2OGS721u — Dr Balbir Singh (@AAPbalbir) January 7, 2023 AAP chief spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said that Sarari resigned due to personal reasons. “He cited personal reasons and the party honoured it. His resignation has been accepted”. Sarari is the second minister to lose a ministerial berth in the over nine-month old Mann-led cabinet. Earlier, health minister Vijay Singla was sacked on corruption charges. Sarari (61), a retired policeman, was elected to the Punjab Assembly from Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur, could not be contacted for comments as his phone came switched off. Meanwhile, in the rejig, the CM shed portfolios of technical education and industrial training and hospitality. Mann gave higher education, technical education and industrial training departments to Harjot Singh Bains. The higher education portfolio was earlier held by Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who has been given water resources and mines and geology which were earlier with Bains. Hayer also holds governance reforms, science and technology, environment, sports and youth services, while Bains has school education portfolio. Mann took jails department from Bains and kept the portfolio with himself. Minister Jouramajra, who earlier held the health portfolio, has been given the portfolios of freedom fighters, defence services welfare, food processing and horticulture, which were earlier held by Sarari. Jouramajra had come under fire from the Opposition after he was seen allegedly forcing Dr Raj Bahadur, the then vice chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, to lie on a dirty mattress at a hospital. Mann gave up the hospitality portfolio and allotted the same to minister Anmol Gagan Maan. Anmol currently holds tourism and culture affairs, investment promotion, labour and removal of grievances. Meanwhile, the newly-inducted minister Balbir Singh said that the biggest challenge was to wean the youth away from drugs. “We have to make Punjab drug-free. I will try my best,” he said. Balbir, who had also remained a co-convener of the AAP Punjab unit, said there are two aspects to the drug problem. Drug addiction is a mental health issue and drug smuggling is the law and order component of this problem, he said, adding that the scourge will be dealt accordingly. “Strengthening of medical health infrastructure is the need of the hour. The emergency services would be improved. We will ensure that ambulance services take not more than 10-15 minutes to reach,” he added. Asked if he supported cultivation of opium, he said no decisions should be taken in a jiffy. “It needs research. Those countries that have legalised the opium cultivation have also seen the crime rates rising,” he added. Balbir Singh was once considered close to former AAP MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi. But he parted ways with Gandhi once the latter turned rebel. In the 2022 elections, he defeated Congress's Mohit Mohindra with 53,474 votes. He unsuccessfully took on former chief minister Amarinder Singh in Patiala (Urban) in the 2017 Assembly elections. We are very grateful to beloved CM @BhagwantMann for getting work started on my constituency’s biggest demand of decades i.e. Model Town drain & for #zerobill of electricity. It’s a huge relief against back breaking #mehengai. He always listens to our needs with great attention! pic.twitter.com/eQBseJR3Dh — Dr Balbir Singh (@AAPbalbir) January 4, 2023 He was convicted along with his son Rahul Saini, wife, Rupinderjit Saini, and aide Parminder Singh by a Ropar court in a case registered under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (causing hurt voluntarily to another with dangerous weapons), 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation). His lawyers had stated he would be filing an appeal in the case. The judge sentenced the four accused to three-year rigorous imprisonment but granted them on-the-spot bail on a surety of Rs 50,000 each. The case was registered by his wife’s sister on June 13, 2011, at the Chamkaur Sahib police station. Police registered FIRs against both parties under similar IPC sections. The court later acquitted the complainant, Paramjit Kaur, and her husband, Mewa Singh. During the elections, Paramjit Kaur alleged that Balbir Singh had grabbed her land. She also challenged his nomination stating that he had concealed in his affidavit the charge under IPC section 325. Balbir Singh is also facing a cheating case in connection with the same land dispute; he has been accused of forging documents and the will of his father-in-law. The trial in the case is going on. Meanwhile, AAP spokesperson Kang said that Balbir Singh has filed an appeal against his conviction. “Moreover, it was a family dispute. Why should he not be made a minister if he has been caught in a row over a family issue? Also, he has filed an appeal in the case.” Later, Balbir Singh posted his pictures with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Mann, and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Twitter and said, “I was only one of a billion helpless Indian voters, who always got cheated. Zero chance of me entering politics. Then Arvind Kejriwal gave me a new vision, a greater cause! Bhagwant Mann gave me a chance to make a difference. They made me an MLA & minister. I am deeply thankful”. In July 2022, the Bhagwant Mann government had carried out its first cabinet expansion, inducting five party legislators, including Sarari. After that, the strength of the cabinet had reached 15, including the chief minister. The number will remain unchanged as Sarari's berth has been filled up by Balbir. There are 18 berths in the cabinet, including the chief minister. Following the publication of this article, Dr Balbir Singh’s social media team sent a message to The Indian Express Saturday night to say, “It is pertinent to mention that not only was the operation of the judgement stayed, but rather the conviction itself was also stayed by the higher sessions court.” “It is a matter where the registered will of his wife’s parents was challenged by her sisters. A will which was registered in the court. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled in Dr Balbir’s wife’s favour in this matter, and she has been in undisputed, well-documented and peaceful possession of this land for over three decades now,” the team added in its message.
