Chandigarh, August 8
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party government over the appointment of 13 Multi-Purpose Health Workers by the Health Department, alleging that 10 of those selected are from Haryana.
Randhawa said the issue has further intensified the growing anxiety among Punjab’s youth over employment opportunities in government departments. He asserted that the Punjab government must ensure that the rights and interests of the state’s youth are protected and that recruitment processes remain completely transparent, fair and impartial.
“Punjab’s youth work hard for years to prepare for competitive examinations and government jobs. If candidates from neighbouring states are allowed to take away employment opportunities in Punjab, what is left for the youth of Punjab?” Randhawa asked. He stressed that there must be no injustice to Punjab’s youth under any circumstances.
Randhawa also demanded an independent and high-level investigation into the recruitment examinations and selection processes conducted by or associated with Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. He said allegations of cheating and the use of Bluetooth devices during the Pharmacist Officer recruitment examination had already raised serious questions about the credibility and integrity of the recruitment system.
“In such circumstances, the government must come clean on what action has been taken so far in the Pharmacist Officer examination matter and what concrete measures have been put in place to ensure transparency, accountability and effective monitoring of other recruitment examinations,” he said.
The Congress MP urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to formulate a clear policy to safeguard the interests of Punjab’s youth in government recruitment. He demanded that all recruitment examinations be conducted in a manner that ensures fairness and transparency, and that every complaint or allegation of irregularity be subjected to an independent investigation.
Randhawa said Punjab’s young people invest years of their lives, hard work and resources in preparing for competitive examinations with the hope of securing a government job. “When the recruitment process itself comes under a cloud of suspicion, it is nothing short of playing with the future of our youth,” he said.
Randhawa demanded that Mann answer when the rights and opportunities of Punjab’s youth in government employment would finally be protected and assured.