No martyr status for farmers who died during protest against agri laws: Haryana Government

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 8

Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday told the Haryana Assembly that no proposal was under the consideration of the government to give the status of martyr to the farmers who died in the agitation against three central farm laws at the state border.

Also, no proposal is there to provide government jobs and financial assistance to the families of deceased farmers hailing from the state, he said.

Earlier, Congress had demanded status of martyr for the deceased farmers and financial assistance to their families on the pattern of neigbouring Punjab.

In a reply to a question from Congress MLAs Aftab Ahmed and Indu Raj Narwal, Vij informed that a total of 68 farmers had died till February 18 at the border. Of these, 21 belonged to Haryana and 47 deceased were Punjab residents.

On the reasons behind the deaths, it came out that 27 (39.7 per cent) alone died of heart attack and 15 (22.1 per cent) died in road accidents. Twelve people (17.6 per cent) were brought dead to the hospital. One committed suicide by revolver, another was found hanging while three deaths were due to consumption of the poisonous substance, Vij said in his reply.

On Independent MLA Balraj Kundu’s question, Vij said that sanitation facilities had been provided to protesting farmers by engaging 118 workers and provision of 750 toilet seats was also made.

“Adequate facility of streetlight has been made available at NH-44 and from Tikri border to Jakhoda border. Drinking water is being supplied through water tankers at agitation sites and water storage units have been installed for the purpose,” he said.

Vij further said that 10 ambulances and 10 bike ambulances had been stationed on the NH-44 and four ambulances were stationed at Tikri border.

Vij clashes with Hooda

As Congress MLAs were asking supplementary questions during the question hour, Vij said that he had thought that former CM and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda would get a training camp for his MLAs but what could you expect from him when he was chargesheeted in corruption cases by the CBI.

Hooda replied that the cases were politically motivated and the court would give him justice.

Earlier, Congress MLA Kuldeep Vats took a jibe at Vij saying that the quality of health services in the state can be gauged from the fact that the Health Minister had to be shifted to a private hospital from PGIMS Rohtak.

33% ration depot holders to be women

Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, who holds the charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, clashed with Congress MLA Jagbir Malik who levelled corruption allegations of thousands of crore in ration cards in Sonepat during the Question Hour.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Women’s Day, Chautala announced that now 33 per cent of ration depots would be given to women