BJP and Congress members had sharp verbal exchanges in Haryana Assembly on Tuesday during the general discussion on budget estimates when main opposition party legislators targeted the ruling saffron MLAs on farmers’ issue.
During Zero Hour, BJP MLA Aseem Goel got up and flashed a photo claiming that among the farmers who protested outside his Ambala residence last week included Congress workers. As soon as he had said this, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked him not to make wild allegations.
Later when the House took up discussion on budget estimates for 2021-22, which were presented in the Assembly by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday, Congress’ newly elected MLA from Baroda segment, Indu Raj Narwal said Government keeps saying they have done so much for farmers’ welfare, but it has not said a word as nearly 300 peasants have died during the ongoing agitation.
He demanded martyr status be given to farmers who died and Rs 50 lakh compensation and a job to the next of kin. Intervening as Narwal was speaking, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar sought Hooda’s comment if the call for boycott of political leaders of ruling dispensation was justified.
Notably, the Haryana Assembly had on Monday passed a resolution condemning any attempt to boycott political leaders, a move which follows protests against the ruling coalition leaders in several villages over the Centre’s farm laws. “I want to ask Hooda why he is silent on this,” asked Gujjar. Hooda replied by saying that he has been saying that maintaining law and order is the duty of the administration. “But they are trying to thrust their own failures on others,” said Hooda attacking the government, but Gujjar told him “you (opposition) cannot escape from your responsibility”.Khattar had on Monday accused the Congress of instigating farmers and supporting those boycotting BJP-JJP leaders. Hitting out at the government, Hooda said, “I have not seen such an insensitive government in my entire life when so many farmers laid down their lives but they have not said a word.”
Senior Congress leader Kiran Choudhary said “in democracy boycott is manifestation of people’s will against political dispensation. When they are dissatisfied they will boycott”. Congress MLA Raghuvir Kadian also protested over Gujjar’s comments.
Meanwhile, attacking the State Government, JJP MLA Ramkumar Gautam said that it is the responsibility of the Government to maintain law and order. The opposition’s job is to raise issues and they will.
Participating in the budget discussion, BJP MLA Abhe Singh Yadav, talked about how Haryana’s economy had been adversely hit due to the farmers’ stir.Yadav then made a remark in the context of farmers’ stir which triggered sharp reaction from Congress benches. As ruckus prevailed for a while, Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa, who was in the Chair at that time, said while Yadav’s remark was general in nature the opposition should not raise objection. Meanwhile, Narwal while participating in discussion on budget, also said that before November 2020 bypolls in Baroda (in Sonipat) the government had made several promises for the constituency including setting up Industrial Model Township and a rice mill and should fulfill them.
Randhir Golan, an independent MLA, while discussing the issue of water crisis in his region and southern Haryana, demanded SYL construction. He said that the opposition is doing politics on the SYL issue. There is a Congress government in Punjab. Congressmen of Haryana should bring the State’s share of water.
On this, Kiran Chaudhary said, "We are not doing politics." We should talk to PM Narendra Modi, so that we can bring SYL water. Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala said that there is a Congress government in Punjab. It is in their manifesto that they will not give SYL water to Haryana. “Congress should first agree in its house what to do. We are ready to build a canal,” he added.
Hooda said that the Supreme Court’s decision on SYL has come from the effort of Congress. The work of filling the carved canal in Punjab took place during the BJP-Akali regime. The State Government should go ahead and try to meet the PM to resolve this issue.”