Haryana Diary: Was Haryana Vidhan technical snag for real?

Chandigarh: The first day of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha session on December 17 was not without anxious moments for mediapersons covering the session from the media centre at the Haryana Niwas, Chandigarh, due to Covid-19. The live-streaming of the proceedings was disrupted on a couple of occasions when the vocal Opposition tried to put BJP-JJP government on the mat. Though the live-streaming was restored after a brief disruption, the media virtually missed the “action” on at least one occasion. This led to speculation whether these were genuine technical snags or something else to bail the beleaguered BJP-JJP government out of the difficult situation.

‘Lack of Sanskrit knowledge affecting families’

Ambala: Home Minister Anil Vij has blamed the lack of knowledge of Sanskrit language as one of the major reasons for the families falling apart. Addressing a gathering, he said: “During a wedding ceremony, the priest speaks ‘shalokas’ in Sanskrit, but both the bride and the groom don’t understand those and the marriage gets solemnised. I assert that this is also one of the reasons for the families that are falling apart today.” He said all scriptures were written in Sanskrit but as part of a conspiracy, the language was taken away from us.

Sacked PTIs inspired by farmers’ stir

Bhiwani: The terminated Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) who were rendered jobless after the Supreme Court judgment in Haryana are protesting for the past 552 days. These 1,982 PTIs, who are staging dharnas at various district headquarters in the state, said though the Chief Minister has assured them of justice, there has been no further action to prove it. Vijender Singh, pradhan of the Bhiwani terminated PTI teachers association, said their families were facing hardships for over two years. “But we are inspired by the farmers who have struggled and got their demands fulfilled. We will also not retract until our demands are met,” he said.

Hooda loyalist turns to Selja Kumari

Rohtak: It is said that there are no permanent friends or foes in politics. In the latest instance, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s supporter and former minister Krishan Murti Hooda has lately tilted towards the camp of state Congress president Selja Kumari. He has held a couple of meetings with his supporters recently, during which they decided to organise Selja’s public meetings in all nine Assembly segments under the Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency. At a recent meeting, Krishan Murti’s supporters decided to arrange a public meeting of Selja in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi Assembly constituency, which is currently represented by the Leader of Opposition. Sources close to the former minister maintain that he is desirous of contesting the Lok Sabha election from Rohtak, which has been represented by the ex-CM’s son and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda till recently.

Leaders spar over move to shift milk plant

Faridabad: The proposal to shift the government-owned ‘Vita’ milk plant of Ballabgarh town has become an issue of politics. Mool Chand Sharma, local MLA and Cabinet Minister, has taken up the project of shifting the plant from Arya Nagar here to any available space in Ballabgarh or Tigaon Assembly constituency in view of its congested location. The move has been opposed by some Opposition leaders, including Karan Dalal, Congress party leader and a former MLA from Palwal. While Dalal has accused the authorities of shifting the project set up during the Congress rule without any justification, claiming that it will lead to unemployment and a loss to dairy owners supplying milk to it, Sharma has defended it by describing it as need of the hour in view the problems faced by residents of various colonies and sectors due to narrow lanes, inadequate space and movement of vehicles.

Rohtak Congress MLA ‘slighted’

Rohtak: The saying “senior leader of ruling party is much more powerful than MLA of opposition,” aptly fits Rohtak. Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra continues to feel ‘ignored’ by the district administration, while former minister and BJP’s state vice-president Manish Grover is persistently getting preferential treatment despite losing Assembly polls to Batra in 2019. Recently, Grover was the chief guest at Geeta Jayanti Mahotsav, while there was no mention of Batra on the invitation card. It was not the first instance of the sort. However, this time Batra said he would raise the issue before the top authorities as sitting MLA should be invited as per protocol.