The issue of shelved Dadupur Nalvi irrigation project took centrestage as the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday debated an adjournment motion brought by the opposition parties, the Congress and Indian National lok Dal.
Right through the beginning of the debate which lasted for more than three and a half hours, war of words, allegations and counter-allegations raged for the second consecutive day in the House over the issue of scrapped irrigation project and the opposition also staged a walkout from the House expressing disappointment over Chief Minister’s reply on it.
Initiating debate on the adjournment motion, leader of opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala said the Government’s decision to scrap this canal project was “anti-farmer” as farmers of three districts including Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Ambala would be affected due to this. He also asked the State Government to reconsider its decision.
At the same time, Chautala hit out at the Congress for not completing the Dadupur Nalvi irrigation project during their ten years tenure in Haryana.
The leader of Opposition also attempted to corner the ruling BJP on the issue of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal and said the BJP-led Centre and Haryana Governments had failed to begin the construction of the SYl canal even after the directions of Apex Court.
After this, the Chief Minister intervened and asked Chautala to stick to the issue of Dadupur Nalvi project only and refrain from raising other issues.
Chautala also faced ire of BJP legislators for terming those farmers as “fake” who had come to meet the Chief Minister at his residence on Monday to thank him for the decision to de-notify the land acquired for canal project.
In stinging remarks on Chautala, the Chief Minister said terming the farmers as “fake” was an insult to them. “I have a list of around 400 farmers with their names, address and contact numbers, who had come to thank me for de-notifying the acquired land and shelving the canal project,” said he.
The House then plunged into chaos as the treasury benches sought an apology from the leader of Opposition for calling those farmers as “fake”. As BJP MlAs began shouting “shame shame” against Chautala, the INlD legislators also stood up in protest against the treasury benches.
Earlier, there was temporary bedlam in the House after the Congress legislators demanded moving the adjournment motion on the issue of scrapped project. The demand was, however, turned down by the Speaker, Kanwar Pal Gujjar, who said adjournment motion was already moved by INlD legislator.
Meanwhile, opposition parties demanded withdrawal of Government’s decision of shelving the Dadupur Nalvi project, which was initiated in year 1985 for irrigation and recharging of ground water in three districts.
Announcing to withdraw the project, the Government had on September 27 claimed that it has not found the project ‘feasible’ after enhancement of the compensation to the farmers following a May 2016 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Under the project, 2246.53 acre land was to be acquired for construction of this project, out of which a total of 1019.2994 acre land was acquired but it has been denotified by the Government.
Speaking during the discussion, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the acquired land could not be de-notified as per the rules and the Government should reconsider the decision.
If the BJP Government did not withdraw its decision, the Congress would complete the canal project when it comes to power in the State, added Hooda.
Ridiculing the opposition parties, the Chief Minister, in his reply, said this decision should have been taken long time back but the Congress could not do it due to fear. They had shelved the Dadupur Nalvi project and are working on other projects for the benefit of the people of the state, he said.
The Chief Minister said any farmer desirous of taking his land back would have to pay to the Government only the actual compensation amount received by him without any interest. However, in case this amount is less than the value of the land calculated at the rate of Rs 8 lakh per acre, the returnable amount would be worked out by valuing the land at the rate of Rs 8 lakh per acre, said he.
Asking the opposition not to politicise the issue of the irrigation project, Manohar lal said since no farmer would be forced to take back his land, opposition to Government’s decision is opportunistic and limited to those who have vested interests.
On opposition’s query under which law the acquired land has been de-notified, the Chief Minister said that they were awaiting President’s approval on the applicable provision for de-notification of the acquired land.
Unhappy with Chief Minister’s reply, the INlD legislators staged a noisy walkout from the House shouting slogans “Kisan Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad, BJP Sarkar Murdabad,” against the Government.
Few minutes later, the Congress MlAs too staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of Manohar lal on the issue.
HIGHlIGHTS
loP seeks apology from BJP: leader of Opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala demanded an apology from the BJP Government in Haryana for the deaths of 31 youth who had died during last year’s Jat quota agitation and at least 41 dera followers who died onAugust 25 following the CBI court’s verdict again Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. All these people had died in a firing by security forces as the government failed to control the incidents of arson and violence in both these incidents. Chautala’s demand came after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma informed the House that an Indian-origin MP in Britain has tabled a parliamentary motion seeking apology from Prime Minister Theresa May for the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre ordered by British commanders in 1919.
Haryana to revise collector rates: Chief Minister Manohar lal said that State Government has decided to revise the collector rates both pertaining to rural and urban areas twice in a financial year so as to ensure uniformity, transparency and avoiding any major gap between the market price and collector rates. The Chief Minister while replying to an issue concerning collector rates raised by INlD MlA Ranbir Gangwa said that Deputy Commissioners in the state have been directed to review and revise the collector rates twice in a year.
Minister and ClP leader exchange personal barbs: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma and ClP leader Kiran Choudhary took potshots at each other over educational qualifications. Sharma while stating that he is MA in English, told Choudhary that she is from an Army background hence, can speak good English. On this, Choudhary said that she has done law also and must be more educated than him. Responding to this, Sharma said, I am also an advocate and have done llB from Punjab University. Earlier, taking a jibe at the ClP leader for speaking in English on the issue of non-procurement of Bajra, Sharma said, “Bajra ki Basha Angrezi nhi ho sakte.”
Ajay Chautala attends House proceedings: Indian National lok Dal senior leader Ajay Chautala, who is currently out on parole from Tihar Jail, attended the proceedings of the assembly session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha for the second consecutive day. Convicted in a teacher recruitment scam, INlD leader Ajay Chautala remained seated in the guest gallery of the House to attend the proceedings. Haryana INlD chief Ashok Arora was also present in the guest gallery alongwith Ajay Chautala. Just like a day before, Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma again welcomed Ajay Chautala in the House on Tuesday. Notably, INlD chief OP Chautala along with Ajay Chautala are currently serving 10-year jail sentence after being convicted, in teacher recruitment scam in Haryana.
Govt. clarifies stand on bajra procurement: Senior Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that procurement of bajra in Jind, Hisar, Taoru and Firozpur Jhirka would commence from October 31 in the state. Earlier, Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Karan Dev Kamboj, while replying to the call-attention motion on the issue, said that the government had procured 19,056 MT of bajra as compared 5,968 MT last year. The State Government has not stopped the procurement of bajra in the mandis but due to apprehension of trading in bajra by the traders, the government is verifying the quantity of bajra lying in the mandis, said he clarifying on the allegations leveled by opposition related to non-procurement of bajra.
BJP to win in Gujarat: Minister: Ahead of upcoming assembly polls in Gujarat, senior Minister Ram Bilas Sharma claimed that the party will win more than 100 seats in the election. He said, “I had earlier announced that BJP will win over 300 seats in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and the party did win at that time.” We will go to both Himachal and Gujarat for the polls, said Sharma while adding that the BJP will be winning in both states.