If you cannot understand my silence, you will never understand my words… Silence is powerful…,” these were the quotes spoken out on Monday by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar, who has so far chose to stay mum and smile throughout the proceedings of Vidhan Sabha session.
The Chief Minister in his reply to the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address on Monday said that his silence should not be taken as otherwise… We would stay silent but work for the people of the State. We are not experienced… This is true but we have taken the oath to work for the upliftment of the poor, said Manohar lal, a first-time MlA and the Chief Minister who heads first BJP Government in Haryana.
Manohar lal in his more than one hour reply, slammed the previous Congress Government for focusing on only few areas during their regime and imbalance development in the state.
Continuing his tirade against the previous State Government, Manohar lal said, “There is apparent disparity in development of various districts of the state. They (Congress) are claiming that white paper on state finances released by us is wrong… But, information given in it is true and everybody knows it very well.”
He went on to blame the previous State Governments for their failure to resolve the controversial issues of SYl canal and capital Chandigarh. Giving detail account of various agreements held in the past on both the issues, the Chief Minister said that the State Government will file a fresh suit in the Supreme Court to declare the Termination of Agreements Act passed by the Punjab assembly null and void.
Taking a dig at Congress’ ‘Haryana number one campaign’ during last years’ assembly polls, he said that the campaign did the same to the Congress what 'India Shining' had done to the NDA in the 2004 general elections.
The Chief Minister, after detailing the achievements of his government on various fronts in last more than four months, said that people are satisfied with their work.
On the issue of compensation to be given to the farmers who suffered huge losses due to recent heavy rains and hailstorm in Haryana, he said that the assessment exercise is going on to check the losses and compensation would be released within one month of the end of assessment exercise.
The leader of Opposition and senior INlD leader, Abhay Chautala while intervening demanded that the government should assure the farmers about implementing the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission in phases.
Verbal duels were also exchanged between Abhay Chautala and Congress MlAs with Congress questioning Chautala about ongoing whitewash in Tihar Jail, taking a dig at INlD chief Om Parkash Chautala who is in Tihar jail in a recruitment scam.
Responding to this, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij told the Congress that soon their MlAs will go to the same place.
Women safety
Claiming that the law and order situation has improved in BJP’s tenure and women feel safe in Haryana, Chief Minister Manohar lal compared the statistics of rape cases registered during his tenure and the previous Government’s regime.
In 2014-15 till February, 967 cases of rape, 245 dowry death, 2999 dowry harassment, 2023 kidnapping, 4 acid attack, 372 sexual harassment, 728 cases of molestation, were registered.
During the four months regime of BJP led State Government, Haryana has registered 2715 cases of crime against women from October 26 to February 28.
Probe into deforestation
After the allegations leveled by the opposition on the issue of degradation and cutting of trees in the forests areas in Aravallis, the State Government on Monday assured to conduct a probe into this. The State Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu informed the house that under revitalisation of institutions in Aravalli Hills scheme in 2014-15, 40000 plants were planted over an area of 80 hectares in the Aravalli Hills in Gurgaon. And, 21500 plants were planted over 25 hectares in Aravalli Hills in Gurgaon under rehabilitation of degraded forests (2014-15). He assured the house to order a probe into the allegations of cutting of trees in the area.