Haryana CM defends Sandeep Singh, says won’t ask him to quit

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, August 28

Responding to the Congress demand for the removal of minister Sandeep Singh in the Haryana Legislative Assembly today, CM Manohar Lal Khattar categorically stated that “resignation will not be taken” from him.

As soon as Question Hour ended, Congress MLAs led by former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda called for the resignation of Minister of State for Printing and Stationery Sandeep Singh as the Chandigarh Police had filed a chargesheet against him for molesting a junior woman coach. “He (Sandeep Singh) should resign on moral grounds, or the CM should ask him to quit,” said Hooda.

Sandeep Singh was present in the House, but did not respond to the allegations. Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said the matter could not be discussed as “it is subjudice”. “If he is proven guilty, the court will convict him,” he added.

The Congress MLAs staged a walkout, but returned soon and started pressing for the minister’s resignation. Congress MLAs Geeta Bhukkal, Kiran Choudhry and Shakuntla Khatak were leading in sloganeering against the accused minister.

BJP MLAs also stood up and started raising slogans.

Bhukkal said the coach, who had levelled allegations of molestation against Sandeep Singh, had been suspended, while the minister was sitting in the House.

Soon, the Congress MLAs entered the well of the House. The CM said, “They can’t compel us to seek his resignation. If every facet of their actions during their decade-long rule are presented in the Assembly, the citizens of the state will give them a befitting reply.”

Asserting thrice, “resignation ‘nahin liya jayega’, ‘nahin liya jayega’, ‘nahin liya jayega’”, the CM said, “We will go to the people with their (Congress) misdeeds and shed light on wrongdoings and atrocities against women and Scheduled Castes during the Congress’s 10-year rule.”

Now, 20% quota in promotions for Group A&B posts

• The CM on Monday announced that the state government would be implementing a 20% reservation policy in promotions for the Scheduled Caste category in the Group A and B posts
• Announcing in the Vidhan Sabha, he said previously the reservation in promotions was limited to Group C and D, leaving Group A and B positions without any reservation provisions
• To ensure the effective implementation of this reservation system, he said the state government was actively working on creating a roster system. The notification in this regard would be released within a week, he said

Resignation nahin liya jayega

Resignation ‘nahin liya jayega’, ‘nahin liya jayega’, ‘nahin liya jayega’. The Congress can’t compel us to seek his resignation. If every facet of their actions during their decade-long rule are presented in the Assembly, residents of the state will give them a befitting reply. — Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister