Moose Wala mother’s IVF row: Punjab govt issues notice to health secy for acting on Centre’s request

Chandigarh : Amid a row related to the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment of late singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s mother Charan Kaur, the Punjab government has issued a show-cause notice to principal secretary, health, Ajoy Sharma for acting on the Centre’s request for a report in the matter without first bringing it to the notice of the chief minister and the health minister.

The 1999-batch IAS officer has been asked by the state government to show cause within two weeks why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for proceeding in the matter without taking orders from chief minister Bhagwant Mann and health minister Dr Balbir Singh.

“The ministry of health and family welfare, Government of India, sought a report from you regarding IVF treatment of Charan Kaur (Sidhu Moose Wala’s mother). In light of the provisions of rules of business, 1992, and given the significance of the issue involved, you were required to bring it to the notice of your minister-in-charge and chief minister and take their orders regarding further course of action,” according to the show-cause notice issued by the special secretary, personnel.

The notice said the officer proceeded to act in the matter without bringing it to the notice of the minister and chief minister and without taking any orders from them. “This is a serious lapse on your part. Hence, you are asked to show cause within two weeks as to why proceedings under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, should not be initiated against you,” reads the notice dated March 20.

Sidhu Moose Wala’s parents, Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur, had welcomed a baby boy on March 17, almost two years after the singer was shot dead in Mansa district of Punjab.

The government action against Sharma followed Balkaur Singh’s allegations on Tuesday that the state government was harassing him over the birth of his second son. “The government is asking me to prove the legal status of my child,” he said in a video on his social media platforms. The allegation triggered a political row with the opposition parties targeting the Mann government.

Health minister Dr Balbir Singh, while interacting with mediapersons on Wednesday, clarified that the Punjab government was in no way harassing the family and the letter regarding the IVF treatment was received from the Centre. The health minister also hit out at the central government for seeking the report.

Bathinda civil surgeon Dr Tejwant Singh Dhillon said that at no point did the health department approach Moose Wala’s family directly. She said that a team of doctors visited an infertility centre located on the Power House Road on Tuesday and got all details of the patient’s pregnancy from the clinical register at the hospital.

The Union health ministry had sought the report from the Punjab government regarding the IVF treatment of Sidhu Moose Wala’s mother, raising concern over her age. It quoted a Hindustan Times report which cited that Charan Kaur had undergone IVF treatment at the age of 58 and was successful in conceiving a baby. “Under Section 21(g) of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the age limit prescribed for a woman going under ART services is between 21-50 years. Therefore, you are requested to look into the matter and submit a report to this department of the action taken in this case as per the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021,” the communication said. There is no clarity yet on whether Charan Kaur underwent the IVF procedure in India or abroad.

This is not the first time Sharma has got into trouble with the present government. Sharma was shunted out as principal secretary of the health department in January 2023 after he declined to sanction money for advertisements on Aam Aadmi Clinics. The officer was also removed from the taxation department. He did not get posting for nearly four months and was later given charge of the local bodies department before finally returning as health secretary in October last year.

Don’t find scapegoats: Bajwa to CM

Leader of opposition (LOP) Partap Singh Bajwa accused CM Mann of putting the entire blame on principal secretary, health, Ajoy Sharma. He said the chief minister should have courage to own up for this fiasco and not find scapegoats.

“In reality, the #CMOPunjab was fully aware of Centre’s letter to the Health Department of Punjab. After facing a huge backlash from the entire Punjab, in their attempt to save their own skin, the @AAPPunjab govt issued a notice against Ajoy Sharma, which is highly condemnable,” the Congress leader claimed in a post on X.

AAP hits out at Centre

AAP’s Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang accused the central government of interfering in the state, claiming that the Punjab government had nothing to do with this. “We have also issued a letter to Punjab health secretary that why did he not bring the letter to the knowledge of the CM and health minister of the state. There is full interference from the Government of India,” he posted on X.