Independent MLA announces withdrawing support to ‘corrupt’ Khattar govt

Chandigarh, February 27

Haryana Independent MLA Balraj Kundu announced his decision to withdraw support to the M L Khattar dispensation on Thursday, saying he was “deeply hurt” with the government giving “clean chit” in the sugar mills corruption he had flagged.

“I had extended my support to an honest chief minister and an honest government, but I came to know today that the display of honesty is a farce,” the MLA told reporters outside the Assembly, after the chief minister refused to order any probe into allegations made without substantial proof or due to personal enmity.

“I withdraw my support to this government and on Friday I will formally hand over my letter to the Governor and the Speaker,” said Kundu, who represents Meham constituency in the Assembly.

Kundu’s withdrawal of support will have no impact on the stability of the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party government.

In the 90-member House, the BJP has 40 members, JJP 10 and seven are Independents, six of whom continue to back the government.

The main opposition Congress has 31 MLAs, and Haryana Lokhit Party and Indian National Lok Dal have one member each.

The MLA said he was deeply hurt at the “clean chit” given by the ruling dispensation in a matter pertaining to corruption which he had brought to the chief minister’s notice recently.

Kundu had earlier in the day frequently interrupted the chief minister in the House on the issue of corruption when he was responding to a debate on the Governor’s Address. He alleged that the CM was trying to give justifications that were not valid.

“I said I don’t doubt the chief minister’s honesty and integrity. But the way he gave his reply in the House, I am deeply hurt. Only those are honest who are CM’s Yes Man, those who are loyal to him, even if they indulge in corruption. Giving clean chit by CM to such people has deeply hurt me and I withdraw my support to this corrupt government,” he said.

Commenting on Kundu’s charge, the chief minister told reporters, “Inside the House, I have said if there is credible primary material to believe where any wrongdoing comes to light, we will order a probe. But if anyone levels allegation without any substantial proof to back it or if anyone has personal enmity and levels allegations, what is the meaning of a probe on such allegations.”

Kundu claimed that he has highlighted the state’s cooperative sugar mills showing a loss of Rs 3,300 crore and alleged it was due to corruption and malpractices.

He said he had written a letter to Khattar and had met him over the matter recently.

The legislator claimed that he had submitted “proof” of corruption and malpractices to the chief minister on how the loss had taken place in the past four years.

The losses have taken place “because of inefficiencies at every step, misutilisation of funds/fraud/corruption due to malpractices adopted for the selfish interest of officers concerned,” Kundu claimed.

The MLA had recently alleged that the officers had acted on behalf of a minister in the previous Khattar government in the state and said he would raise the matter in the budget session of assembly.

The Haryana Police had over a month ago booked Balraj Kundu and his brother Shivraj Kundu for allegedly cheating a Rohtak resident. — PTI

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