Manohar Lal Khattar, Bhupinder Hooda lock horns over HPSC scam

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

It was Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar versus Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on the last day of the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha here on Wednesday.

Wit and sarcasm, coupled with allegations and counter-allegations, dominated the proceedings with two stalwarts taking potshots at each other. The ball was set rolling by Hooda who accused the BJP-JJP government of running away from the debate on public-oriented issues raised by the Congress.

SIX BILLS PASSED on last day of winter session

• The Haryana Management of Civic Amenities and Infrastructure Deficient Area Outside Municipal Area (Special Provisions) Bill, 2021
• The Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2021
• The Haryana Agriculture Produce Markets (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The Haryana Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2021
• The Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The Haryana Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2021

“There were 17 adjournment and calling attention motions moved by the Congress, but only five of them were allowed. Apart from this, dozens of questions related to public interest were also raised during the Question Hour. The government gave misleading answers to most of the questions. Just as the BJP-JJP government has failed on every front, the winter session of the Assembly session has also failed to serve any purpose,” Hooda alleged. He claimed that at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, the Congress was assured that the session would be extended if needed but it wasn’t. “All demands of the Opposition, like getting the HPSC recruitment scam probed by the CBI, resolution on MSP, making public the investigation report of the alleged liquor registry and paddy purchase scams were not accepted by the government,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Khattar asked Hooda to officially share the WhatsApp chat purportedly between two senior functionaries of the HPSC. Hooda, however, refused to oblige Khattar, saying that it was for the government to investigate the matter raised by him on the floor of the House.

Taking poetic jibes at Hooda, Khattar, however, conceded certain demands of the Opposition, including taking U-turn on university appointments and assurance on the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their agitation against the three farm laws.

The CM said a five-member committee comprising a nominee of the Chancellor (Governor), Principal Secretary (Higher Education) and three Vice Chancellors would be constituted to review the decision.

He further said 276 cases had been registered against farmers during the agitation. “Of these, four cases are registered under serious offences. Of the 272 cases, chargesheets have been prepared in 178 cases. As many as 158 cases are still untraceable,” the CM asserted.

Khattar said the state government would withdraw all cases registered against farmers, except those involving heinous crimes such as rape, murder etc.

The Chief Minister further said the state government had decided to increase the dearness allowance of its employees and dearness relief for pensioners and family pensioners from 28% of basic pay and pension to 31% with effect from January 1, 2021.

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