Archive · 18 Aug 2026

Punjab tableau controversy: retired staff posed as knee-replacement beneficiaries

Punjab tableau controversy: retired staff posed as knee-replacement beneficiaries

On Independence Day, the state of Punjab held a big parade in a city called Ferozepur.

During the parade, five men danced a fun dance called bhangra.

A person on a microphone said these men had gotten new knees through a government health program.

But it turned out the men were retired government workers with healthy knees of their own.

Some people were upset and said the government was pretending.

The government said the dancers were just a symbol to show how the health program helps people.

The health minister said many people really did get knee replacements through the program.

He said almost 10,000 people got new knees and the government spent a lot of money on it.

Opposition leaders said the chief minister should say sorry.

The government says it will keep making these kinds of shows to teach people about health care.

Sources