Issues related to farmers and alleged land scams dominated the proceedings of Budget session of Haryana Assembly that provided 13 sittings spread over 17 days. The session concluded on Wednesday.
While the main Opposition, Indian National lok Dal (INlD) led by Abhay Chautala played a sort of “friendly match” with the treasury benches, the role of strong and active opposition was donned by Congress led by ClP chief Kiran Chaudhary throughout the proceedings of the House.
Barring a few occasions, the INlD failed to frequently and vociferously question the ruling party on several crucial issues including increasing crime against women, failure to fix time frame to inquire into alleged land scams of previous Congress Government among others.
Most of the times, the INlD legislators remained silent spectators to the war of words between Congress and the treasury benches over the land acquisition issue, deteriorating law and order situation in the State, farming crisis, BJP’s failure to deliver on its poll promises and many others.
The non-implementation of Swaminathan report was the only issue which saw both the Congress and INlD on the same page, accusing the ruling party of going back on its electoral promise.
The Congress, on the other hand, was targeted by both BJP and INlD for controversial land deals and alleged land scams, imbalanced development in Haryana during ten years rule of Bhupinder Singh Hooda led Congress Government in the State.
Mincing no words and making the Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar a direct target of attack, the Congress called him a mute spectator and also accused his Government for pursuing RSS agenda.
Be it the incident of vandalism of an under-construction Church in Hissar’s village or inclusion of Yoga and Geeta Shloks in schools curriculum, the Congress termed it as RSS agenda slamming the State Government throughout the proceedings of Budget session.
The BJP also made an equally scathing counter-attack reminding the Congress of alleged land scams and controversial land deals during their ten years rule in Haryana. On the crucial issues of Swaminanthan report, Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYl) canal, capital Chandigarh, losses suffered by farmers during the unseasonal rains and hailstorm, the State Government, constantly, playing to the gallery assured the house of addressing all such issues as soon as possible.
During the budget session, unwarranted remarks by Health Minister Anil Vij often put the BJP leadership in an embarrassing situation while Congress MlAs Karan Dalal and former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma remained at the forefront when it came to exchanging of personal digs in the house.
The tempers ran high following the remarks of Anil Vij on rechristening the government complexes named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and alleged insult to “Nehru-Gandhi” family, which led to the adjournment of House for 15 minutes. The Congress had pressed for an apology from the Chief Minister over Vij’s remark, who had also called the Congress a progeny of the British as it was formed by British national Allan Octavian Hume.
This was perhaps the first time when the Chief Minister, who is a first-time MlA, showed his leadership skills, played the role of peacemaker and tried to pacify the Congress and BJP legislators, urging the MlAs to maintain the decorum of the House. Amid high expectation from the people of Haryana, the maiden budget presented by the BJP led State Government was an indication towards government’s priority areas like education, social sector, power sectors and urban infrastructure in the next five years. The budget 2015-16 showed revenue deficit at Rs 9,499.96 crore and fiscal deficit at Rs 16,423.58 crore, albeit, the State Government set a target to achieve a double digit growth in a couple of years without presenting a substantial plan to do so.
A bill imposing a complete ban on the sale of beef in any form in the state was also passed during the assembly. And, the BJP managed to fulfill its poll promise to bring in a strict legislation to stop cow slaughter as the Act now provides for a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to ten years for killing the animal and also provides for a fine ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs one lakh. While the budget session concluded on Wednesday, the BJP failed to reach a consensus to elect Deputy Speaker of the House, giving a clear indication of fissures within the party.