BJP, Cong spar over Jat stir violence

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

Tempers ran high, emotions peaked and allegations were hurled thick and fast between the Treasury benches and the Opposition as calling attention motion on collapse of law and order situation in Haryana veered towards the violence during the Jat agitation.

During the course of his reply on the motion on the concluding day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the government had decided to ask the CBI to inquire into arson in Rohtak in view of the evidence hinting at a conspiracy.

As soon as he mentioned the Prakash Singh committee report, which is a comment on the civil and police administration during the violence, Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal made an impassioned speech on how she desperately called up Khattar and several functionaries, seeking their intervention to stabilise the deteriorating law and order situation in her constituency Jhajjar.

“The report states there was a complete failure on all fronts. The agitation was a complete failure of the government, the Chief Minister, his Cabinet and the police. I have call records to show who all I called. We celebrate the golden jubilee year of the state at a time when the social fabric has been ruined and brotherhood shattered. Is this the Gujarat model the BJP projects? I want to know. I will not sit down without speaking my mind,” she said.

The Jhajjar MLA sought to know why a CBI probe had only been ordered into arson at Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu’s house when her house was also damaged and properties of the common man burnt down.

FM-Hooda duel

The Finance Minister, too, recalled how his family, in the house at the time it was torched, had a narrow escape. “Let Congress legislators speak because they seem to be feeling the pain finally. The CBI probe is not about one house, but about 10 members of a family, the Circuit House and the IG’s house which was targeted by the mob. And, those who ruled Haryana neither condemned the wrong-doers not distanced themselves from them,” a charged Abhimanyu said.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda intervened to say that he understood the minister was hinting at him. “I had repeatedly condemned incidents of arson and violence during the agitation, as also favoured an inquiry to bring those responsible to book.”

“Let a High Court judge inquire into the arson. If I’m even a wee bit involved, I am ready to face action. No explanation has ever been provided on why a pick-and-choose policy was followed in targeting students in MDU. We have also heard a lot of stories after the arson about those responsible for it,” an unfazed Hooda said, throwing an open challenge to the Treasury benches.

Leader of Opposition Abhay Chautala said BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini was continuing with his talk of 35 castes versus one caste, indicating the divide between non-Jats and Jats. “He continues to talk of the divide and disrupt harmony in society. Action should be taken against him,” he said.

The calling attention that began on the law and order situation with special reference to the recent double-murder and rape incident reported from Mewat was lost in the din, as allegations and counter-allegations were levelled by the Treasury benches and the Opposition.

Mining finds a mention

Earlier, Khattar used the opportunity to expose all previous governments in the state as he recalled the prospering of the mining mafia under the Congress rule between 1991and 1996 to the arrival of liquor mafia under the Haryana Vikas Parishad government in which the BJP was a partner to the recruitment scam during the INLD government and the change of land use scam which became a big business during 10 years of the Congress rule.

Khattar even made a passing reference to the “Green Brigade” led by Jai Prakash which, he said, had illegally occupied land and buildings, inviting protests from the INLD. Khattar explained he was only talking of the common perception in the eyes of the public.

The Meham incident of large scale poll-related violence in 1990 found mention during the course of the discussion.

Congress MLA submits resignation

Former Speaker and Congress MLA Raghuvir Kadian on Wednesday submitted his resignation to Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar during a discussion on crime situation in the state. "A government which does not enjoy the confidence of the people has no moral ground to stay in power," he said. Giving instances from folklore, Kadian said kings would seek feedback from the public about their working by mingling in the crowd in disguise. "Let the Chief Minister go in disguise to the public for an account of his popularity. If he can find even five persons who appreciate his working out of 100 people that he meets, I am willing to resign from the House," Kadian said, challenging Khattar. The CM responded by urging him to give his resignation first. Kadian wrote his resignation and sent it to the Speaker then and there. "Now, the ball is in the court of the CM and the Speaker. I have said they can accept my resignation subject to the condition that the CM himself goes in disguise to the public to know where his government stands. If he can find even 5 per cent of the people who admire the BJP government's working, the Speaker is free to accept my resignation or else he should put in his papers," Kadian said later.