Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar, who is a former RSS pracharak, on Tuesday met veteran Jan Sangh leaders in the State to take a feedback from them on the functioning of the first BJP Government in the State.
During the meeting held at CM’s residence here, the Chief Minister asked the senior leaders of Jan Sangh not to consider themselves as retired and work as a guide of the BJP organisation at the State and district level. About 50 office-bearers and former representatives of Jan Sangh were present at the meeting, which lasted for more than two hours. Senior Cabinet Ministers were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister sought suggestions of the Jan Sangh leaders to improve the functioning of his Government in Haryana.
Manohar lal, a first time MlA, said that while taking full benefit of the experience of Jan Sangh members, the party would carry forward the integral humanism ideology of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and ensure that the benefit reaches the last person in the society.
The BJP traces its roots to the Jan Sangh, which was established in 1951 as the political wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The Chief Minister also said the party would definitely take advantage of their experience and work to make the BJP victorious again in the next elections.
Notably, BJP chief Amit Shah had last month visited Haryana, with an aim to strengthen the party at the grass-root level before 2019 assembly elections and lok Sabha. Shah had also met the RSS leaders in Rohtak to take their feedback on the functioning of Manohar lal government in Haryana.
Amit Shah had also directed the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers to hold meetings with party workers and work for strengthening the party at grass-root level ahead of 2019 polls.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister while holding the meeting with Jan Sangh veterans, apprized them about the achievements of his government. “The BJP Government in Haryana has made lot of changes in the system. To eliminate corruption, the government is making more than 300 public services online which has seen a huge reduction in corruption. Every worker cannot get post in the government, but BJP has given responsibilities in government to more than three dozen workers during the last 20 years”, he said.
Some of the Jan Sangh veterans also shared their suggestions at the meeting. Taking up the issue of stray cattle, former MlA Omprakash Sharma said that the government should also take the help of social organizations to ensure care of stray cattle. On this, the Chief Minister gave the assurance that this problem would be solved by September 30.
Other leaders Sitaram Bagdi, Krishna Bajaj asked the Chief Minister to give a befitting reply to the false statements of opposition leaders. Several senior functionaries including former state president Atamparkash Manchanda, former Minister Kamla Verma, former MP ID Swami, former MlA Veena Chhibber among others gave their suggestions at the meeting.
With its focus on issues like cow protection, Gita and Saraswati river, the Manohar lal Khattar Government has remained under attack from the opposition and social outfits for pursuing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda of “Hindutva”.
Khattar who has never denied his close links with the RSS, has completed nearly half of the five years tenure as the head of a BJP government and has time and again stated that the cow, the Gita and Saraswati are articles of faith for the majority of the people and have a special place in the country.
The Chief Minister has also drawn criticism for allegedly deploying people pursuing ‘Hindutva agenda’ on key positions in the government. Manohar lal, a first time MlA, is seen as a political novice and inexperienced administrator, having failed to act timely and sternly during emergency situations like violent Jat agitation and dera violence issue in the State.