Indian Express: Chandigarh: Saturday, 30 September 2023.
There has been no official announcement about setting up a cancer hospital in the name of slain Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, in his home district Mansa, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has revealed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Moosewala was shot dead on May 29 last year, a day after the Punjab government reduced his security cover. After Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited Moosewala’s residence on June 3 to pay condolences amid protests against the government AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Banawali told the media that a cancer hospital would be set up in the singer’s memory.
Later, the Sardulgarh MLA said that Moosewala’s family demanded a cancer hospital, a museum/auditorium, and a sports stadium named after him, and that the CM had accepted all three demands. Banawali’s statement was widely reported.
“Sidhu Moosewala repeatedly raised concerns about the cancer problem in Mansa and surrounding areas during his campaign in the 2022 Assembly elections. So it was an emotional matter for his fans when it was reported that a cancer hospital would come up in his name,” said RTI activist and lawyer Amritpal Singh. “As time passed, I was surprised that the government took no step to honour the Punjab CM’s promise, which was reported in the media. So, I decided to file an RTI to check if any work was internally underway with regard to constructing the cancer hospital, museum, and sports stadium in Sidhu Moosewala’s name. I was taken aback when the government did not reply to my inquiries. I had to make appeals, after which the government has given in writing that there has been no announcement in the media by the Chief Minister’s Office regarding these demands. I have media reports as per which such a statement was made,” he said.
Placing a request under RTI, Amritpal Singh had sought to know about any order/gazette/ memo/letter/staffing order, or any document wherein it mentions the cancer hospital, museum, or stadium in the name of slain singer-artist Sidhu Moosewala alias Shubhdeep Singh as announced by CM Bhagwant Mann. He also sought a certified copy of the funds allotted/grants for the construction.
Talking to The Indian Express, Banawali, who had accompanied Mann to Moosewala’s house on the aforementioned day, said, “The Punjab CM had come to pay condolences to the family when the family made these demands about a cancer hospital, stadium, and auditorium. CM Bhagwant Mann said it would be done. As the chief minister is also from the same industry, he wanted a good auditorium in the name of Sidhu Moosewala. I will take efforts to make this happen as Moosewala was a star from my constituency, and it is my duty to represent his family as an MLA.”
An AAP leader from Mansa said, “We also made efforts to create a chowk on the Mansa-Sirsa road in Moosewala’s name, but a deadlock between the family and the government affected all the projects.”
There has been no official announcement about setting up a cancer hospital in the name of slain Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, in his home district Mansa, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has revealed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Moosewala was shot dead on May 29 last year, a day after the Punjab government reduced his security cover. After Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited Moosewala’s residence on June 3 to pay condolences amid protests against the government AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Banawali told the media that a cancer hospital would be set up in the singer’s memory.
Later, the Sardulgarh MLA said that Moosewala’s family demanded a cancer hospital, a museum/auditorium, and a sports stadium named after him, and that the CM had accepted all three demands. Banawali’s statement was widely reported.
“Sidhu Moosewala repeatedly raised concerns about the cancer problem in Mansa and surrounding areas during his campaign in the 2022 Assembly elections. So it was an emotional matter for his fans when it was reported that a cancer hospital would come up in his name,” said RTI activist and lawyer Amritpal Singh. “As time passed, I was surprised that the government took no step to honour the Punjab CM’s promise, which was reported in the media. So, I decided to file an RTI to check if any work was internally underway with regard to constructing the cancer hospital, museum, and sports stadium in Sidhu Moosewala’s name. I was taken aback when the government did not reply to my inquiries. I had to make appeals, after which the government has given in writing that there has been no announcement in the media by the Chief Minister’s Office regarding these demands. I have media reports as per which such a statement was made,” he said.
Placing a request under RTI, Amritpal Singh had sought to know about any order/gazette/ memo/letter/staffing order, or any document wherein it mentions the cancer hospital, museum, or stadium in the name of slain singer-artist Sidhu Moosewala alias Shubhdeep Singh as announced by CM Bhagwant Mann. He also sought a certified copy of the funds allotted/grants for the construction.
Talking to The Indian Express, Banawali, who had accompanied Mann to Moosewala’s house on the aforementioned day, said, “The Punjab CM had come to pay condolences to the family when the family made these demands about a cancer hospital, stadium, and auditorium. CM Bhagwant Mann said it would be done. As the chief minister is also from the same industry, he wanted a good auditorium in the name of Sidhu Moosewala. I will take efforts to make this happen as Moosewala was a star from my constituency, and it is my duty to represent his family as an MLA.”
An AAP leader from Mansa said, “We also made efforts to create a chowk on the Mansa-Sirsa road in Moosewala’s name, but a deadlock between the family and the government affected all the projects.”
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