After being caught in a row over his controversial statement on beef consumption by Muslim community, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Tuesday chose ‘play-it-safe’ approach while responding to controversial issues.
Even as controversies continued to haunt the BJP-led Haryana Government in its first year in power, the Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar appeared over enthusiastic to promote one year achievements of his Government.
While listing out his Government’s achievement speaking for more than an hour at a Press conference held here, Manohar lal gave detailed account of 52 schemes implemented during his tenure in the State.
Not only this, the Chief Minister also presented a song ‘Mahara CM’ prepared in his praise besides releasing two videos and few slogans in Harayanvi dialects that would be used during the celebrations to commemorate the completion of BJP Government’s first year in office.
While Khattar refrained from answering several questions during the Press conference, he chose to respond carefully on few issues that too with impromptu humour.
When asked about former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s announcement to release a question paper assessing BJP Government’s performance in the State, Manohar lal said, “There is a guess paper. I already know the questions and answering it.”
“Gai hamari mata hai (cow is our mother),” said the Chief Minister in a direct sarcastic jibe to Congress leaders amid the politics on cow slaughter in the country.
Khattar, who completes one year in office as Chief Minister on October 26, landed in a controversy last week over his reported comments that Muslims can live in the country but will have to give up eating beef.
Facing wide condemnation over the statement, the Chief Minister had later clarified that “If anyone has been hurt by my words, I am ready to express my regret...”
Apparently, this is not what the 61-year-old Chief Minister, who took charge of the BJP’s first Government in Haryana a year ago, had hoped for ahead of the first anniversary of his Government.
Khattar is a veteran member of the party’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister elaborating about cases registered by Vigilance Bureau during his tenure said, “The Bharatiya Janta Party-led Haryana Government which came to power on pledges of ushering in an era of change with good governance and graft-free system, has acted tough against corruption.”
He said that the State Vigilance Bureau has registered 213 cases towards corrupt public servants during last one year. Under Prevention of Corruption Act, 25 public servants and eight other people has been convicted by the court under Prevention of Corruption Act.
On the issue of separate High Court, he said that the demand for a separate High Court has been put forth and it is for the Central Government and Union law Ministry to take a final call on it.
Asked to comment on the implementation of Swaminathan Report, which was promised in BJP’s election manifesto, Manohar lal said that, he had written a letter to the Centre recommendations in a phased manner implementation of the report and now Centre would decide on it.
About the issue of SYl canal, he said that State Government has decided to file a suit in Supreme Court to declare the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act 2004 null and void.
Slamming the Opposition party in the State for asking the people not to pay their power bills in view of the increasing power tariff, the Chief Minister said that the power tariffs were fixed by Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission and not by the State Government.
The Chief Minister added that 2016, being the golden jubilee year of Haryana, all the Government departments have been asked to present their vision document to be achieved by them in the year 2016. Their vision documents would be presented on the occasion of Haryana Day on November 1, he added.
Earlier, giving details about the initiatives launched during the last one year, he said CM Window, CM Web Portal, the ‘Harsamay’ Web Portal, Garvit Grameen Vikas Tarun Yojana, Haryana Physical Activities and Sports Policy-2015 among other were launched till now.
After one year in power, the Manohar lal Khattar’s Government is drawing strong criticism from the Opposition with the BJP failing to fulfill its commitments that it had spelt out in its election manifesto during last year’s Assembly poll in Haryana.
One year into the power, Manohar lal Government got more brickbats than bouquets. From the increasing cases of crime against dailits and women in the state to the disputable statements of Cabinet Ministers, controversies continued to swirl around the State.
Amid criticism, the State Government has however decided to celebrate one-year at the helm by organizing public meetings, exhibitions and media campaign through social media, electronic/print media, hoardings and billboards across 21 districts of Haryana. Manohar lal Khattar and his Cabinet Ministers will fan out across the State to apprize the people about the policies and achievements of the State Government over the next fortnight.
The BJP party has planned 23 massive public meetings which would be addressed by Chief Minister, Union Ministers, Haryana Cabinet Ministers or senior state BJP leaders, to take government’s achievements to various corners of State.