The Muslim dominated Mewat, one of the most backward regions in Haryana, has been held out promises of development by the BJP Governments at the Centre and the State including setting up of a motor driving centre of international standards, a ‘Sadbhavna Maddap’ among others besides looking into the possibility of bringing in Railways in the area.
These measures were announced by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday even as he laid the foundation stone of ‘Progress Panchayat’ at ‘Bichchor’, where villagers could be raising their problems afflicting them with the village elders. The Minister declared that more than 100 such ‘Progress Panchayats’ will be set up across the country.
Naqvi’s visit to Mewat was in line with BJP’s outreach to Muslims. His Ministry plans to engage the minority community throughout the country through the Panchayat initiative. Mewat had recently attracted controversy of ‘biryani’ and ‘beef’ vigilantism.
Prior to Naqvi announcing new measures for Mewat, once part of the prosperous Gurgaon district, local leaders sought setting up of a Mewat Model school, a Nursing college, electricity sub-station and ‘pakki road’ from Bichhor to Uttar Pradesh. “The only source of income for 80 per cent Mewatis come from buffalos”, said a local leader who sought diversifying income generating activities like women engaging in sewing and knitting.
The Minority Affairs Minister assured the local populace of all possible Central assistance to them in the backdrop of the ubiquitous banner ‘Madad hamari, Manzil aapki’. He also inaugurated a hostel for teachers and girl students at ‘Hathin’ before reaching Bichhor.
Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Rao Inderjit Singh, also an MP from Gurgaon and who joined Naqvi at Bichhor, said all help would be given to the Mewat region. He looked at Naqvi and smilingly said, “The PM does not say no to him".
To end the water problem of Mewat, he said for Kotla Jheel water collecting scheme only 70 acre land has been acquired “but more land would be needed”. He said if Haryana sends proposal for this water scheme, the Centre would consider it.
Singh further said the Centre has considered the possibility of a train in the Mewat region and hoped that Railway Ministry would positively decide on the issue.
Naqvi appealed to the big crowd, including women and children, at Bichhor that they should not discriminate against each other and maintain unity and harmony in the region" so that development agenda of the Modi-Government succeeds and pays dividend."