Cop accuses minister Sikander Singh Maluka of abusing him

BATHINDA: An ugly brawl between Punjab rural development and panchayats minister Sikander Singh Maluka and Punjab Police constables on duty out side Prime Minister Narendra Modi's function in Bathinda, nearly took away the sheen off Rs 950-crore AIIMS hospital foundation laying ceremony on Friday.
The controversy erupted after Maluka threatened and abused a head constable for not allowing his vehicle with a red beacon atop into a no-go area.Sources in the Punjab Police constabulary said they would launch a stir outside Punjab civil secretariat, police headquarters and Maluka's home on Saturday.
A video, showing a fuming head constable Kanwaljeet screaming back at Maluka for mouthing expletives at him, went viral later in the day. Kanwaljeet was deputed at the entry gate for the VVIPS.
Minutes after the incident, more than a dozen constables and Kanwaljeet's colleagues rallied behind him and threatened to leave their duty.
“I kept on telling the minister that his car can't go beyond a VVIP parking place. He argued with me. I repeatedly told him I have been instructed by bosses and SPG that no vehicle apart from PM will be allowed to go. He pushed me aside and abused me. He then nearly tried to drive his car over me,“ Kanwaljeet told TOI.
Police detain AAP candidates
A am Aadmi Party activists led by party candidates Deepak Bansal and Rupinder Kaur Ruby were detained by police on Friday upon protesting against demonetising when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in town. They were demanding withdrawal of demonetisation move. They were released after some time. In the meanwhile Congress demanded action against Sikandar Singh Maluka for maltreating cop on duty.
'Med colleges to be upgraded'
Union health minister J P Nadda said in Bathinda on Friday that medical colleges in Amritsar and Patiala would be upgraded for Rs 190 crore. Nadda, who was speaking at a rallt attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asked Punjab deputy chief minister (CM) Sukhbir Badal and Union food processing industry minister Harsmirat Kaur Badal to suggest a district hospital in Punjab which could be upgraded to a medical college.Nadda said a cancer institute was being set up in Amritsar for Rs 150 crore and a Rs 45-crore small centre had been planned for Fazilka. “I am surprised that it 70 years in setting up AIIMS in many parts of India, including Punjab. Now, a peopleoriented government has been formed in India. We will bring a revolution in health services,“ he said.