Design in upgrade of subdivisions, tehsils?

Geetanjali Gayatri

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19

The Haryana Government seems to be working on a definite pattern — strengthening its party base with the announcement of a new district, subdivisions, tehsils and sub-tehsils.

The Opposition, however, is not enthused. It claims the BJP’s slogan “Haryana ek, Haryanavi ek” has been hollow.

Sources said the BJP, elected on a non-Jat card, is trying to consolidate its position among Jats. The government has approved district status for Charkhi Dadri, while a committee led by Jat minister Om Prakash Dhankar has recommended upgrade of Hansi and Gohana as districts. The government is yet to take a decision on the recommendation.

Charkhi Dadri, Hansi and Gohana are part of the Jat belt, where the BJP’s hoping to gain ground by next Assembly elections.

The party has tried to woo Jats while appeasing its legislators. This festive season, they have been “gifted” with subdivisions and tehsils in their constituencies. But the Opposition awaits the BJP’s promised “uniform development”. Of 10 new subdivisions and as many tehsils created after a Cabinet nod yesterday, most of them fall in constituencies of BJP legislators who are either ministers or have been “accommodated” as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS).

Barring Kalanwali, represented by SAD’s Balkaur Singh, and Punhana, represented by INLD’s Rahish Khan, all subdivisions are in constituencies of BJP legislators.

The Cabinet upgraded sub-tehsils Ambala Cantt in Ambala district, Badkhal in Faridabad district, Bass in Hisar district, Uchana and Alewa in Jind district, Ladwa in Kurukshetra district, Raipur Rani in Panchkula district, Matlauda in Panipat district and Kalanwali in Sirsa district. Besides, it recommended tehsil status for Badli in Jhajjar district.

Dhankar has “bagged” a subdivision and tehsil in Badli, the constituency he represents, while Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu has benefitted because Narnaund in his constituency has been upgraded to a subdivision and Bass, to a tehsil.

The other “beneficiaries” include Health Minister Anil Vij, Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, CPS Seema Trikha, and Uchana MLA Prem Lata, wife of Union Minister Birender Singh.

“Of 10 subdivisions, six have gone either to ministers or CPSes. No area either with the Congress or the INLD was considered for upgrade. This exposes the BJP’s lie of bringing uniform development,” INLD state chief Ashok Arora said.

Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma said the BJP promises, and slogans of “Sabka saath, sakba vikas” and equitable development lacked substance. “The slogans are hollow. The BJP’s words are nothing, but lies,” he said.

Dhankar, however, justified the Cabinet decision. “The committee framed criteria for upgrade. Areas that met the conditions were recommended. There has been no politics in this. We didn’t realise that most of the subdivisions fall in constituencies of BJP MLAs,” he said.

Other BJP MLAs said every government promoted its legislators. “Our government has been large-hearted in upgrading subdivisions of two MLAs from rival parties. This shows there is no bias,” one of them said.