Union Minister of State for Planning and Urban Development, Rao Inderjit Singh, who is also Gurgaon MP on Thursday, triggered a controversy when he used “disrespectful words” referring to the politicians and bureaucrats in Haryana.
“Do kaudi ke politicians aur officers, Chandigarh me baith kar yahan ke faisle lete hain” (lowly politicians and officers sit in Chandigarh and take decisions about this place).
Speaking at a seminar in Gurgaon, the Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said that two-bit politicians and bureaucrats in Haryana are taking developmental decisions in Chandigarh that had proved unfruitful.
lashing out at his own Government, he said that the situation in Haryana has not changed much even though the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in the State.
Rao Inderjit went onto say that the revenue generated in Gurgaon is spent for the development of the entire State. The revenue generated in Gurgaon should be spent here only, said he.
Advocating the need for setting up of a Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA), he said that a few years ago for faster development of the millennium city, he had suggested GDA but his suggestion was sabotaged by the then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda by forming the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon.
More than a decade after the proposal was floated, the clamour for the constitution of a Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA) has again been growing.
The MoS added that Gurgaon needed the GDA for development or else a National Capital Region Development Authority could be planned and Faridabad, Mewat, Rewari, Mahendergarh, Rohtak and Jhajjar along with Gurgaon included in it.
Rao Inderjit was stripped of his portfolio as Minister Of State (MoS) for defence in a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this week and was given his new assignment as MoS, Planning and Urban Development.
A Congressman turned BJP leader, Rao Inderjit, a four-time MP had joined the BJP in 2014.
This is not the first time he has criticised his own Government. Earlier, the MoS had expressed displeasure over the handling of Jat reservation agitation by Manohar lal Khattar Government. The agitation had led to 30 deaths and left more than 300 injured in the State besides loss of crores of rupees earlier this year.
However, this time, his statement has attracted sharp criticism from the Haryana Cabinet.
While Chief Minister Manohar lal refused to comment on the remarks made by the MoS, his Cabinet Ministers OP Dhankar and Anil Vij advised Rao Inderjit Singh not to use such words.
Talking to the mediapersons, Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar said that Rao Inderjit is himself a Minister and he should not use such words for anyone.
The constitution of GDA is under Government’s consideration, said Dhankar.
On the other hand, Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij said that the statement is wrong and he does not agree with it. Our bureaucrats are working well and such words should not be used for them, he said.
However, Vij also defended Rao Inderjit saying that the MoS might be referring to the functioning of the previous Congress Government in the State.
Haryana’s main opposition party Indian National lok Dal has however slammed the BJP over the issue.
leader of opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala said that even after such statement, no action would be taken against the BJP leader. BJP can not take action against anyone, he said.
After the huge controversy triggered by his statement, Rao Inderjit Singh later clarified that he was referring to the previous Congress Government in his statement on politicians and bureaucrats.