Opposition MLAs try to corner Khattar govt on host of issues

Chandigarh, February 22

Opposition MLAs tried to corner the ML Khattar-led government on a host of issues, including the farmers, which saw sharp exchange of words in the treasury benches in the state Assembly during the resumed debate on the Governor’s Address here on Friday.

INLD and Congress MLAs also targeted the Khattar government on the issue of Aravallis, claiming that it has decided to amend the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which could favour private builders, as the move would open up more land for real estate development as construction activity could be allowed in areas where it was previously disallowed due to enforcement of PLPA.

Senior INLD leader and Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress’ Anand Singh Dangi and Raghubir Singh Kadian were among the Opposition legislators to raise the issue of farmers.

They alleged that the ruling BJP had not extended full benefits of the Swaminathan Commission Report and cheated the peasants.

There was day-long debate on the Governor’s Address, in which various MLAs from Opposition and the ruling party took part.

Hooda said they have not implemented the Swaminathan Commission in real terms.

However, Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar, who launched counter-attacks on the Opposition MLAs on farmers’ issue, said, “The Opposition is in the habit of misleading people on Swaminathan issue. They are making non-agenda as an agenda, but people are wise. We have implemented Swaminathan Commission’s report.”

Chautala also claimed that some arrears of sugarcane farmers were pending.

On the Sutlej Yamuna link canal, Chautala said it was lifeline for the farmers, but the present state government had not pursued the matter enough with the Centre to ensure that it gets completed at the earliest.

Chautala, Congress’ Karan Dalal and Lalit Nagar, the Congress MLA from Tigaon in Faridabad district, were among those to raise the Aravallis issue.

“The government is planning to bring a bill to extend favours to private builders,” Nagar claimed.

“Fear is that big land sharks could be given benefit. Why is the government in a hurry to bring this bill?” Dalal asked.

Chautala said the Aravallis are the only forested areas in cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad, claiming that diluting the PLPA will destroy the Aravallis.             

The PLPA legislation was enacted to save the soil from erosion. It is applicable to all of Punjab and Haryana.

Hooda and Independent MLA Jai Prakash raised the issue of 18,000 recruitment for Group ‘D’ posts, claiming that majority of those who secured jobs were highly qualified even though matriculates were eligible and demanded more jobs be advertised as several candidates with lesser qualifications, who belonged to poor strata of society, had failed to get these jobs.

Dalal expressed concern over drug addiction among youth and urged the government to take proactive steps to ensure that the menace is curbed.

He also asked the government to take steps to tackle pollution in the Yamuna river.

Congress’ Udai Bhan launched a fierce attack on the government and alleged that ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ is a hollow slogan of the BJP”.

Naina Chautala, MLA from Dabwali, said the jawans secure country’s borders and sacrifice their lives while fighting militants, government must take steps to ensure that dependents of martyrs are taken care of.

BJP member Mool Chand Sharma blamed the previous Congress government for failing to undertake development for 10 years, saying had they worked with the same spirit as the incumbent regime the state would have become like Singapore long ago.

BJP’s Seema Trikha said while examples of Gujarat model of development used to be given earlier, now even the prime minister heaps praise on Haryana for various developmental initiatives taken by the present state government. PTI