{"id":13672,"date":"2026-08-18T10:18:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T10:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=13672"},"modified":"2026-08-18T10:18:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T10:18:59","slug":"fake-knee-surgery-beneficiaries-dance-at-punjab-i-day-function-sparks-political-slugfest-chandigarh-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=13672","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Fake&#8217; knee-surgery beneficiaries dance at Punjab I-Day function sparks political slugfest | Chandigarh News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133311774,imgsize-5347467,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/a-video-showcasing-elderly-men-dancing-at-punjabs-independence-day-celebrations-has-sparked-a-heated-political-discussion.jpg\" alt=\"'Fake' knee-surgery beneficiaries dance at Punjab I-Day function sparks political slugfest\" title=\"A video showcasing elderly men dancing at Punjab's Independence Day celebrations has sparked a heated political discussion\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"A video showcasing elderly men dancing at Punjab's Independence Day celebrations has sparked a heated political discussion\">A video showcasing elderly men dancing at Punjab&#8217;s Independence Day celebrations has sparked a heated political discussion<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>CHANDIGARH: A video of three elderly men dancing at Punjab\u2019s state-level Independence Day function in Ferozepur has triggered a political slugfest, with the opposition alleging that they were presented as beneficiaries of the state government\u2019s knee-replacement scheme despite being health department employees, while the AAP defended the performance as an expression of beneficiaries\u2019 happiness.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>The video shows the elderly men dancing to \u2018Beh ke dekh jawana babe bhangra paunde ne\u2019 as part of a health department tableau showcasing the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana. Chief minister <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/bhagwant-mann\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bhagwant Mann<\/a> was present during the performance.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>Five people, including the three senior citizens, took part in the dance performance. Under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, enrolled beneficiaries are eligible for treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>Sources, however, said the three elderly performers seen in the video were health department employees and not patients who had undergone knee-replacement procedures.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>Ferozepur deputy commissioner and civil surgeon were unavailable for comment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>The controversy began after Tractor2TwitterPunjab, an activism-related social media handle, described the performance as \u201cpeak clownery in Punjab\u201d, claiming senior citizens who had received free knee-replacement treatment were made to dance at the Independence Day celebrations.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>The post drew contrasting reactions, with some criticising the performance and others saying beneficiaries were simply celebrating free treatment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>Congress MLA Pargat Singh accused the AAP government of creating a false narrative. Reacting to a post by AAP Punjab, he said, \u201cThe elderly men shown dancing in the tableau before the CM Bhagwant Mann were Health Department employees, not patients.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>He questioned the use of elderly people for political publicity, saying, \u201cElderly people deserve dignity\u2014not political exploitation.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring demanded an apology from chief minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the government misled the public by presenting dancers as beneficiaries of a health insurance scheme who had undergone knee replacement surgery.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/>SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also criticised the AAP government, alleging that people who had never undergone knee replacement surgery were made to dance and projected as beneficiaries who had successfully undergone the procedure.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>AAP\u2019s Ferozepur Urban MLA Ranbir Singh Bhullar, however, defended the performance. Speaking to TOI, he said those involved had benefited from the state government scheme and were expressing their happiness in the presence of the chief minister.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>He denied that they had been made to dance to promote the scheme as a major achievement.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>AAP Punjab in-charge and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also rejected the opposition\u2019s allegations, saying opposition leaders should focus on addressing issues within their own parties.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>He said, &#8220;The way Bhagwant Mann has shown concern for Punjab and its people is something no party or CM in the history of Punjab has ever done before.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/>The conflicting claims over whether the performers were beneficiaries or health department employees could not be independently resolved.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/chandigarh\/fake-knee-surgery-beneficiaries-dance-at-punjab-i-day-function-sparks-political-slugfest\/articleshow\/133311739.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A video showcasing elderly men dancing at Punjab&#8217;s Independence Day celebrations has sparked a heated political discussion CHANDIGARH: A video of three elderly men dancing at Punjab\u2019s state-level Independence Day function in Ferozepur has triggered a political slugfest, with the opposition alleging that they were presented as beneficiaries of the state government\u2019s knee-replacement scheme despite 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video showcasing elderly men dancing at Punjab&#8217;s Independence Day celebrations has sparked a heated political discussion CHANDIGARH: A video of three elderly men dancing at Punjab\u2019s state-level Independence Day function in Ferozepur has triggered a political slugfest, with the opposition alleging that they were presented as beneficiaries of the state government\u2019s knee-replacement scheme despite [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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