Dushyant Chautala-Haryana Police row: Road rage or power play? A bit of both

The interception of former Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala’s vehicle by the police in a congested area in Hisar city on Saturday has apparently turned out to be an incident of road rage. When such an incident involves a politically powerful figure and the police, it brings out two contrasting aspects. One, that the current status matters more, and how such an incident can cut a once powerful figure down to size. Two, how VVIPs and cops behave on roads, even as they underscore the need to remain calm and be mindful of rules while driving.A viral video shows a police vehicle overtaking the JJP leader’s convoy and blocking his security vehicle. A cop then comes out aggressively, and Dushyant swiftly tries to grab the door of the police vehicle. His younger brother, Digvijay, is seen pushing a cop.Though it isn’t clear what preceded the incident, the allegations by JJP leaders and counter-allegations suggest “political connotations”.Dushyant was the Deputy CM as an ally of the BJP in the Mahohar Lal Khattar-led government till March 2024. Later, the BJP parted ways, leaving him and his party JJP high and dry. Subsequently, the JJP was defeated in the polls.While a section of people views the incident as a bid by Dushyant to gain mileage and sympathy, another section highlights the alleged “high-handedness” of the police. The VVIP culture in Haryana, and elsewhere, entails elaborate protocols, especially on the roads. Police escort vehicles often push common drivers to the edge of the road to make way for VVIPs. As the Deputy CM from 2019 to 2024, Dushyant too had enjoyed this “luxury”. When people see him agitated at a police vehicle blocking his convoy, it comes as a surprise.A farmer leader, Anil Gorchi, said Dushyant sought the support of farmers sitting on a dharna at the mini secretariat. “But we have not forgotten that the JJP leaders sided with the BJP during the farmers’ agitation and enjoyed the spoils of power until 2024. Now, when they have been dumped, they too have got a taste of the BJP’s brute power. It is karma,” he remarked.At the same time, the incident highlights the assertion of police entitlement. If cops can get riled by the convoy of an influential politician, what chance does a common person on the road have? Rajesh Kumar, a lawyer, said laws and traffic rules apply equally to a police vehicle and a common driver. “The police are not immune to the laws and traffic rules. It cannot be brushed aside as a minor incident and must be dealt with as per law,” he stated.Notably, the incident comes in the backdrop of another incident earlier this week, when a woman—reportedly in an inebriated condition—stopped her car in the middle of a road in Hisar. Though it did not lead to a mishap, the police registered a case on the complaint of a traffic cop and arrested her. She is out on bail.

Dushyant Chautala-Haryana Police row: Road rage or power play? A bit of both

Simply Haryana

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Chautala-Haryana Police row: Road rage or power play? A bit of both

Simply Haryana

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

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