Amid the political slugfest over the Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Friday ripped into the Opposition saying, “People are now trying to claim credit on the SYl canal issue as they know that Supreme Court’s favorable verdict on the Presidential Reference has paved the way for initiation of the long pending construction work of SYl canal.”
Slamming opposition for doing politics on the water-sharing issue between Punjab and Haryana, the Chief Minister, during his reply to the discussion on Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s address, said, “Before the BJP Government in Haryana came to power, the hearing on Presidential reference had been pending in the SC for the last 12 years. I appeal to the parties not to politicise the sensitive issue.”
“The SYl will be constructed and Haryana would get its due share of water,” he said .
At this, INlD legislator Jasvinder Singh Sandhu questioned the State Government’s claims on SYl canal and said, “The INlD leaders and workers were stopped by Haryana Government on February 23 when they were moving towards Punjab for digging of SYl canal. If you are serious about the SYl canal, why did not you support our
campaign.”
Responding to the allegations, Manohar lal clarified that barricades were put to maintain law and order situation but not to stop the INlD workers. If the Government wanted to stop you (INlD), we would have never given you the permission to hold a rally in Ambala on that day. Besides, our MlA Assem Goel welcomed and served milk and jalebi (sweets) to the INlD workers at Ambala, he said.
While the Governor’s address made no mention of Hansi-Butana canal, the Chief Minister said that the issue is in the Court and we are hopeful of positive outcome. He added, the Government is also taking up the issue of construction of the three projects namely Renuka dam, Kishau and lakhwar with concerned authorities.
While going out strongly against the Congress which has stated that it is well positioned to challenge the ruling BJP Government in 2019 assembly polls, the Chief Minister taunted the opposition with couplet, “Tum nahaq ke tukde chun chun kar daman meiñ chhupae baithe ho, Janta ke Mahisa toh hum hai, tum kya aas lagaye bethe ho.”
Continuing his tirade against the Congress, he said, “During previous Congress’ Government rule, people were disappointed but things have changed in the state during our regime. We have a motto of ‘Ek Naya Haryana, Ek Khushal Haryana’.”
The Chief Minister, after detailing the achievements of his Government on various fronts in last more than two years, said that people are satisfied with their work.
Reacting to the opposition accusations that 80 percent announcements made by him are pending, Manohar lal said that more than 3500 announcements have been made so far and 38 percent of them made in Government’s first year have been implemented. Third year of the Government, which is also Haryana’s swarna jayanti year would witness execution of pending announcements, he said.
On accusations of poor –functioning of CM window, the Chief Minister said, more than two lakh complaints have been received at CM window and about one and a half lakh has been disposed of so far.
At the receiving end of opposition’s criticism for recruiting Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associates, Manohar lal maintained that they are neither a part of a Government programme nor they have any interference in the functioning of the government and their main job is to assist him in ensuring good
governance.
He said that they have been appointed for a year and thereafter, it would be reviewed whether to continue them or not. Soon after, Congress and INlD legislators intervened and alleged that these are RSS recruits.
On the allegations, Manohar lal pointed out towards his own association with RSS and said that RSS works for welfare of people and he too had rendered selfless service, without any monetary gain for 34 years.
These governance associates have been recruited on the basis of their qualifications and intellect, and eight of them hail from Haryana, he added.
Training his guns against the opposition again, the Chief Minister said that we are not pursuing the Hindutva agenda. As far as Saraswati revival project is concerned, NASA has found evidence of the course of the ancient river Saraswati in Haryana through satellite images and we are making efforts to revive it, he said.
The Chief Minister also termed as baseless, the allegations levelled by opposition regarding mining mafia in Haryana.
Referring to CAG report which has found irregularities in implementation of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, Manohar lal said that with a view to publicise the programme, laptop bags and mugs were purchased at a cost of Rs 21.40 lakh and the CAG had merely mentioned that funds were diverted for purchase of these materials.
Stating that the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Bima Fasal Yojna is a historic decision as it has the lowest-ever premium, the Chief Minister added that the present Government had given a record compensation of Rs 2,400 crore for damage to the crops.
Taking strong exception to the remarks of Congress MlA Karan Singh Dalal that the crop insurance scheme should be withdrawn, Manohar lal reminded him that the State Assembly had adopted a motion of breach of privilege against him for allegedly defaming the Ministers on this issue.
It (privilege motion) is still pending… You should not speak about the crop insurance scheme, the Chief Minister told Karan Dalal.
The Chief Minister also clarified that no other metro routes have been changed except in proposed Global city in Gurugram. But it is still under consideration, he added.
He also made it clear that in case of any irregularity, minister, bureaucrat or employee concerned would be punished in the case.
Slamming the opposition again, the Chief Minister concluded his address with couplet, “Woh jo camero ki chaka chond se khush hote hai, humne aaina dikhaya toh ruth.”