Ajoy Sharma, principal secretary health of Punjab has been given show cause notice after Sidhu Moose Wala's father claimed ‘harassment' regarding the birth of his second child.
The Punjab government has asked as to why that matter of child birth through IVF was not brought to the notice of chief minister Bhagwant Mann or health minister Dr Balbir Singh. Ajoy Sharma has been asked to reply within two weeks.
“The ministry of health and family welfare, Government of India, sought a report from you regarding IVF treatment of Charan Kaur (Sidhu Moosewala'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 the matter 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.
Ajoy Sharma, a 1999-batch IAS, who is considered an upright officer, had served as health secretary earlier also. In January last year, he was removed from the health department when he had refused to sanction money for publicity of Aam Aadmi clinics in Punjab. Later in October last, he was reinstated in this post. Now again he has been handed over show cause notice.
What is the matter that put Ajoy Sharma in deck
The late singer Sidhu Moose Wala's parents gave birth to their second son last week, prompting the government to raise awareness about the age limit for In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) conception. Balkaur Singh, the singer's father, claimed that he had been “harassed” by district authorities for information about the child.
Last Saturday, nearly two years after their singer-son was fatally shot, the couple welcomed a child. Charan Kaur, 58, conceived the child using the IVF technique.
The notice said the officer proceeded to act in the matter without bringing the matter 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.
Balkaur Singh accused that the district is harassing and demanding documents to prove the legality of the child.
Charan Kaur, the mother of Sidhu Moose Wala, received IVF treatment; the Union Health Ministry requested a report from the Punjab government last week. The age range for IVF was observed to be 21 to 50 years old.
“Under Section 21(g)(i) of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the age limit prescribed for a woman going under ART Services is between 21-50 years,” the letter went on to say.
There is no clarity yet on whether Charan Kaur underwent the IVF procedure in India or abroad.
Balkaur Singh also posted a photo of himself on Instagram last week, announcing the birth of his second child and stating that everyone in the family was fine.
On May 29, 2022, his older son, Siddhu Moose Waala, a singer-turned-politician, was shot and killed in Punjab's Mansa district.
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