CM unfazed by Abhimanyu-Vij war of words

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 26

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is unfazed by the escalation in the war of words between two senior Haryana ministers—Capt Abhimanyu and Anil Vij—over the special audit report pinpointing misappropriation of funds in Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports (MNSS), Rai (Sonepat)

Even though the differences between the two ministers have brought embarrassment for the BJP Government, Khattar termed the issue as ‘minor’, claiming that the differences had been resolved. “I have talked to both ministers and there is no difference of opinion between them on the special audit issue,” he asserted here today.

Khattar went on to explain that Chief Secretary DS Dhesi had been asked to conduct a detailed inquiry into the affairs of the sports school and action would be taken on the basis of his report.

The two ministers had been on loggerheads over a special audit of the sports school conducted by the Finance Department, which alleged serious financial irregularities, including embezzlement, wasteful expenditure and fraudulent payments.

Taking strong exception to the audit conducted by Capt Abhimanyu’s department, Vij, who holds the Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio, alleged that the other minister was “interfering” in his department. Vij went on to advised Capt Abhimanyu to “keep off” his department.

Recenlty, Vij absented himself for the second time from a meeting of the sub-committee formed by the state government under Capt Abhimanyu on the issue of raising the retirement age of state government employees.

The difference between two ministers reached a point of no return when the Sports and Youth Affairs Department sought the registration of an FIR against the special audit team for “illegally removing and taking away record from the school without the consent of the Sports Department.” The police is yet to register a case into the matter.

Invites Telengana residents to Swaran Jayanti events

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed that people of Telengana should also be invited to the programmes being organised during the Swarna Jayanti year of the state to strengthen the cultural bonding between both the states. Khattar was presiding over a meeting of the governing body of the Haryana Swarna Jayanti Celebrations Authority in Chandigarh on Friday. Haryana and Telengana have signed a pact to exchange and promote cultural and traditional practices to know the lifestyle, food habits and others of both the states. He directed that a programme should be organised in the name of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay on his birth anniversary on September 25.