DR PYARE LAL GARG: SOCIAL, HEALTH ACTIVIST IS KNOWN FOR ‘OUTSPOKEN’ NATURE

Under fire for taking on CM

Amarinder Singh for his frequent criticism of

Pakistan, Punjab

Congress president

Navjot Singh Sidhu’s adviser Dr Pyare Lal

Garg, the former registrar of Baba Farid

University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, is a known social and health activist. Garg, 73, who retired as professor of paediatric surgery in 2002 and is known for his outspoken nature, has worked both with the SAD-BJP as well as Congress governments in Punjab. A native of Ladha Kothi village in Sangrur district, Garg is said to have been influenced by the Left ideology since his school days. In 2006, he was appointed the BFUHS registrar by the then Congress government but had to step down from the spot after some varsity employees challenged his appointment in the high court. But he was asked to continue at the varsity as examination coordinator.

When the SAD-BJP government formed government in 2012, he was appointed director of the Punjab State Health System Resource Centre at Badal village in Muktsar district. Senior officials in the health department say it was when Garg came close to the Sidhu family as Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief parliamentary secretary (CPS health) at the time. In 2019, he was appointed chairman of the ‘Padho Punjab’ committee set up by the state education department.

While Garg’s detractors say he cleverly used his links to get plum posts in the government, he on the other hand, claims that he has not accepted any payment for all the post-retirement assignments. Before joining as adviser to the PPCC chief, Garg frequently appeared on TV debates as an expert.