The Haryana Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes on Tuesday as members of the ruling BJP and opposition INlD traded charges against each other on the issue of Jat reservation stir even as both squarely blame the Congress for whipping up violence in the state during the agitation last month.
Both BJP and INlD severely criticized the Congress alleging its role in provoking the Jat agitation, albeit, Congress benches were empty in the House on Tuesday.
Speaking during the adjournment motion moved by leader of opposition and INlD senior leader Abhay Chautala, HJC leader Kuldeep Bishnoi claimed that rioters in Jhajjar raped a mother-daughter duo during last month’s protest and the local administration failed to take any action against the criminals. Reacting sharply to the statement, Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar accused Bishnoi of defaming Haryana as no such case of rape has been registered in Jhajjar. Slamming Bishnoi, Dhankar said that the HJC leader is spreading rumours of rape in Jhajjar just like the Murthal gang rape stories, which were also false.
Following this, the leader of opposition demanded constitution of a committee to look into the allegations of gang rape in Jhajjar and privilege motion should be brought against whosoever lied in the House on the issue. Initiating discussion, INlD leader Abhay Singh Chautala earlier demanded judicial inquiry into the incidents of arson and violence during Jat agitation stir, which claimed 30 lives last month.
Hitting out at the Manohar lal Khattar Government for its failure to contain the violence during the agitation, Chautala said that Government was helpless as it could not even save the house of its Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu from being burned by the rioters in Rohtak.
Attacking BJP led Haryana Government for not taking action against its leaders like Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini and Roshan lal Arya for issuing statements against Jat community, Chautala demanded strict action against both the leaders.
Continuing his tirade against the ruling party, he said that the State Government miserably failed to discharge its constitutional duty of first protecting life and protecting the residents of Haryana and then, failed to provide relief to the victims. This exposed the failure of political and administrative machinery at the command of ruling party, he said. Chautala demanded that compensation should be given to the kin of all those killed during the protest while HJC’s Kuldeep Bishnoi demanded that people who died due to clashes with police or army are rioters and should not be given any compensation from the State Government.
The INlD senior leader also demanded action against those who conspired to incite the violence during Jat agitation and also, against those who destroyed the statues of freedom fighters and martyr in Jhajjar and Kaithal during the agitation.
Chautala also asked the State Government to take action against those who spread the false stories of Murthal gang rape cases as no one has filed a complaint in this regard till now.
While the BJP Ministers OP Dhankar, Ram Bilas Sharma, Capt. Abhimanyu and other ruling legislators accused Congress specifically former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of pre-planning a strategy to disturb peace and spread violence in Haryana during the Jat stir, the independent MlA Jai Parkash came to the rescue of Hooda saying that the former Chief Minister alone cannot do all this in Haryana. Jai Parkash attracted severe criticism over this statement as BJP legislators stood up from their seats protesting against him and alleging his allegiance with Congress.
Speaking during the discussion, Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu while reacting to opposition charges said that he is ready to go through any narco analysis or polygraph test for the satisfaction of those raising questions regarding his role in the Jat reservation agitation.