Perform or perish, Hry minister directs babus

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ambala, November 15

Perform or perish is the crisp and clear message of new Home and Health Minister Anil Vij to bureaucrats in the state.

“No laxity or leniency at any level will be tolerated at any cost and those who cannot perform should better take voluntary retirement on their own,” asserted the senior-most minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar Cabinet 2.0 after assuming the charge of his portfolios on Friday.

Interacting with The Tribune, the six-time BJP MLA from Ambala Cantonment said fighting the scourge of drugs in the state, building the image of the state police as “pro-public” and security of women and aged are among his top priorities.

Besides Home and Health, Vij has been entrusted with other key portfolios of Urban Local Bodies, Medical Education and Research, AYUSH, Technical Education and Science and Technology in his second consecutive stint as a minister in the BJP-JJP alliance government.

“I will not tolerate laxity on anyone’s part,” said the sexagenarian saffron leader.

In a clear warning to state government officials, he categorically said: “My message to them (government officials) is to perform. If any official feels he/she cannot do so, then he/she can take voluntary retirement.”

Spelling out his priorities as the Home Minister – the first after 23 years in Haryana – the former banker-turned-politician said: “I will work to improve the image of the state police so that their acceptability among the public increases as pro-public and the police-public relationship strengthens further.”

Vowing to fight drug menace and making Haryana a drug-free state, the new Home and Health Minister said: “I will soon convene a meeting of officers of police, health and various other departments concerned to take feedback on how things can be improved and plan a roadmap to treat all ills prevailing in the state.”

Vij said maintaining law and order situation and ensuring safety and security of the common man, especially women and senior citizens, would also be on top of his agenda.

“The Police Department is directly connected with the people. Though you cannot have a policeman for every person, public should feel safe and secure knowing that if they face any trouble at any time, the police are there to protect them all time,” he said.

On the future of the BJP-JJP coalition government, the senior-most minister said: “This government will perform well. We will provide a stable government. We will undertake all-round development of the state. We will accelerate the development work.”

Vij asserted: “The BJP and the JJP are opposed to the Congress and we both have always fought against it. We will work together on a common minimum programme to deliver in the larger interest of the state and its people.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) have joined hands to form the government after the former failed to bag a majority in the Assembly election. BJP’s Khattar and JJP leader Dushyant Singh Chautala had taken oath as the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, on October 27.

No laxity or leniency at any level will be tolerated at any cost and those who cannot perform should better take voluntary retirement.— Anil Vij, Home and Health Minister