Ex-MLA criticises govt for not granting Dabwali district status

Former Dabwali legislator Amit Sihag on Tuesday criticised the Haryana Government for not granting district status to Dabwali, calling it discrimination against the region and the result of weak political representation.

Expressing disappointment over this, Sihag congratulated residents of Hansi after the government announced it as Haryana’s 23rd district.

In a statement, the former MLA said, while being in the Opposition, he had raised the issue of rising drug abuse in Dabwali, both inside and outside the Assembly.

He said, after he had met the then Chief Minister, Dabwali was declared a police district, after meeting the criteria with the support of social organisations.

Sihag said, just as a strong case could be lost in court due to weak legal arguments, Dabwali’s demand for full district status remained pending due to “poor advocacy” by the local leadership and the area’s current representative in the Assembly.

He said Hansi was only 20-25 km from Hisar, while Dabwali was much farther from its district headquarters, with the village of Chautala about 90 km away, and Dabwali town around 60 km away.

He said Dabwali fulfilled all conditions required to be declared a district.

Sihag added that Dabwali was more sensitive, as it bordered two states and remained industrially backward, making district status essential for its development.

He urged the Chief Minister to reconsider the issue, warning that if Dabwali was not declared a district by December 31, the upcoming census process could delay the demand by at least two more years.

He appealed to the government to reassess the facts placed earlier, “respect public sentiment”, and end what he termed as discrimination against the region.