Even as the Manohar lal Khattar led Haryana Government delivered a hat-trick of administrative failures in the wake of large-scale violence in Panchkula on Friday, the BJP Central leadership has decided to stand by Manohar lal, amid Opposition’s demand of sacking him and protests by Panchkula residents against the Chief Minister.
The violence and arson in Haryana on August 25 was not the only incident which brought surrounding States to a standstill and led to the loss of crores of rupees. last year, it was Jat reservation agitation in Haryana, which had affected road, rail traffic and even, water supply in the northern India.
From the incident of self-styled Godman Rampal, who was arrested in a criminal case after a fortnight long stand-off between State Police and his supporters in 2014 to the violent Jat agitation in 2016, the debutant BJP Government in Haryana had in the past also failed to prevent and control violence in the State.
With a repeat of last year’s Jat agitation like violence in Panchkula on Friday, the State Government has once again attracted severe criticism from several quarters including opposition parties.
However, the BJP high command has decided to defend the Chief Minister instead of seeking his resignation, atleast for now. BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday held a meeting with senior party leader Kailash Vijaivargiya and BJP incharge for Haryana Affairs, Anil Jain to review the current situation in Haryana and political implications in the aftermath of violence in the State.
Sources said that the party high command is unhappy with the lackadaisical approach of the Chief Minister, who has again failed to deal with emergency situation just like during Jat agitation in 2016 and Sant Rampal fiasco in 2014. The BJP has however decided to stand by the Chief Minister, atleast for now, said the sources.
There are also murmurs of resentment among several party leaders in the State following the failure of the Chief Minister for the third time to deal with the emergency situation, said sources.
Amit Shah has also talked to Chief Minister Manohar lal and asked him to ensure that no more incidents of violence and arson takes place in the State in the wake of CBI’s court verdict in the case, sources added.
After the meeting, Anil Jain, while talking to the mediapersons has ruled out any possibility of Khattar’s resignation and also rubbished the reports that the Chief Minister has been summoned to Delhi to give an explanation on the entire issue.
Jain said that under the circumstances, the Chief Minister handled the situation in best way possible. The State Government managed to bring the dera chief to the court, especially when he has a large number of followers, he said.
Defending the BJP Government, he said that the loss of life and damage to property is unfortunate. But, the authorities managed to disperse the violent mob within three hours and prevented a more serious situation, he added.
On the other hand, Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala also came out in support of the Chief Minister. Barala said that there is no question of Chief Minister’s resignation and he has not been summoned by the party high command. The Chief Minister handled the entire situation well, he added.
A day before, Manohar lal had himself defended his Government saying that we managed to control the violent mob in around three hours and prevented the violence to escalate further.
When asked why large number of dera sect followers were allowed to enter the city despite prohibitory orders, he had said that lapses have been identified and we will take tough action against erring officers and those who indulged in violence.
Khattar, without condemning the dera followers had said that some anti-social elements got mixed up with the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda after the verdict by the CBI court and resorted to violence and disrupted peace.
Thousands of dera chief followers had gathered at Panchkula ahead of Friday’s verdict, raising apprehensions of violence, however, the Government did little in the past one week to stop them to enter the city. Even after Punjab and Haryana High Court stern directives to the State Government to prevent last year’s Jat agitation like violence in the State, the Khattar Government failed miserably to prevent mayhem that was witnessed in Panchkula on Friday.
The High Court has out hit out at Khattar Government for allowing Haryana to burn for political gains.
BJP’s ‘cordial’ relations with Dera chief The rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim had enjoyed the patronage of the BJP as a large number of party leaders were seen paying obeisance to the Dera chief in the past. This was the main reason behind Haryana Government’s soft approach towards dera sect followers, who were allowed to gather at Panchkula despite imposition of prohibitory orders.
In 2014, Dera chief threw its weight behind the BJP, both in the lok Sabha and in the Haryana Assembly elections. Support of Ram Rahim augured well for the BJP in both these elections in Haryana.
Early this year, Dera chief had also supported the Akali Dal–BJP combine in Punjab Assembly polls. Ram Rahim had supported the Swachchh Bharat campaign and was seen holding broom with Chief Minister Manohar lal during a cleanliness drive.
Only ten days back, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma went to wish the self-styled godman on his birthday at Sirsa dera and also presented to him a donation of Rs 51 lakh, from his discretionary quota. last year, Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij had also announced a donation of Rs 50 lakh to the Dera Sacha Sauda at its headquarters in Sirsa.
Opposition demands Khattar resignation Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Saturday said that the violence that erupted in Haryana after the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Ram Rahim Singh’s verdict, could have been avoided and asked the Chief Minster to resign.
Hooda said that if he does not resign then the Centre must impose President’s Rule in Haryana. Whatever happened in the past 2-3 days is said and could have been avoided if the government would have been more alert, said the former Chief Minister.
On the High Court’s comment that everybody let Panchkula burn for political gains, Hooda said, “When the High Court says this, then it really shows the failure of this government,” and that the government should collectively resign.
Hooda also said that people have lost faith from this government, adding, “There is no law and order in the state. It feels like that there is no government in Haryana.”
Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala tweeted, “Reckless violence, deaths and destruction in Haryana proves the complete breakdown of law and order. Time for CM Haryana to own responsibility and quit (sic).”
leader of opposition in Haryana and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala has also sought Chief Minister’s resignation stating that it is the third time that state is burning and the Khattar government is responsible for this.