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Tag: Haryana Government

  • Farmers’ stir: Haryana extends mobile Internet curbs in seven districts till Wednesday evening

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Tuesday further extended the suspension of mobile Internet services till 5 pm on February 3 in seven districts of the state amid a protest by farmers against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    An official statement said, “The Haryana government has extended the suspension of mobile Internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services (only bulk SMS) and all dongle services etc provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in seven districts–Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar–till 5 pm on February 3.”

    It said the order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana and shall be in force with immediate effect. Any person found guilty of violation of the aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions, it said.

    The government’s move to suspend mobile Internet services in 17 districts earlier and later on keeping these suspended at a few places saw protests by farmers in the state. Farmers on Tuesday blocked the national highway near the Khatkar toll plaza near Narwana in Jind to protest against the curbs.

    Azad Singh Palwa, a Khap leader, alleged that the suspension of Internet services is adversely affecting various sections, particularly students. “The final examinations of students are approaching. Many students are preparing for entrance exams, but their studies are being hit due to Internet suspension,” he said.

    INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala told reporters in Jind that the suspension of the mobile internet services in some parts had affected office work and the studies of the students.

  • Farmers’ stir: Mobile internet suspension now extended only in seven Haryana districts

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Monday further extended the suspension of mobile internet services till 5 pm on February 2 in seven districts of the state “to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order” amid protests by farmers against three new farm laws that witnessed violence earlier this week.

    According to an official statement issued here, the Haryana government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services (only Bulk SMS) and all dongle services etc. provided on mobile networks except voice calls in seven districts — Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar till 5 pm on February 2.

    This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana and shall be in force with immediate effect. Any person who will be found guilty of violation of aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions, it said.

    ALSO READ| Protesting farmers announce three-hour nationwide ‘chakka jam’ on February 6

    The suspension of mobile internet has not been extended in Ambala, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Hisar, where it was suspended until 5 pm February 1. On Sunday, the government had also not extended suspension of mobile internet in Yamunanagar, Palwal and Rewari districts, where the mobile internet services were suspended until 5 pm of January 31.

    Commenting on the suspension of mobile internet services in some Haryana districts, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Sunday said the decision was taken in the wake of the situation which had built up following incidents of violence in the national capital on January 26.

    Khattar had said mobile internet had been suspended in some districts for a temporary period and will be restored once the law and order situation returns to normal. The government had on January 26 ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts after a violent farmers’ protest rocked Delhi.

    On Friday, it had extended the suspension to some other districts. Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally in Delhi called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for the repeal of the Centre’s three new farm laws.

    Many protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.

  • Haryana government extends suspension of mobile internet in 14 districts till 5 pm on February 1

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Sunday further extended the suspension of mobile internet services in 14 districts till 5 pm on February 1 to “prevent any disturbance of peace and public order” amid a protest by farmers against three farm laws.

    According to an official statement issued here, the government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in districts of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar till 5 pm on February 1.

    In the fresh order issued by the Home Department, the suspension has not been extended in Yamunanagar, Palwal and Rewari districts, where the mobile internet services were suspended earlier. “The Haryana government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services (only bulk SMS) and all dongle services, etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in the territorial jurisdiction of the 14 districts,” the statement said.

    “This order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana. Any person who will be found guilty of violation of aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions,” it added.

    Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the decision was taken in the wake of the situation which had built up following incidents of violence in the national capital on January 26. Talking to reporters in Ambala, Khattar said the decision to suspend the internet for a temporary period in that situation was appropriate and it would be restored once things normalise.

    Referring to the criticism of the Congress party which said that suspension of the mobile internet services would also affect the students, Khattar said his government had made all arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic also to ensure that studies of students were not disrupted.

    Hitting out at the Congress, he alleged that the party has contributed towards the situation which has built up after January 26 incidents. Khattar said that the issue can be resolved through dialogue and added the prime minister has said that doors are always open for talks.

    Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had claimed that the internet ban was ordered “with the intention to crush the farmers” agitation” and demanded its immediate resumption. He had said the decision would affect professionals working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, students, traders and shopkeepers and cause inconvenience to the common people.

    The state government on Tuesday had ordered suspension of mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts after a violent farmers’ protest rocked Delhi. On Friday, it extended the suspension to 14 other districts.

    There are a total of 22 districts in the state. Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally in Delhi called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for the repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws.

    Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts.

  • Haryana Cabinet holds special meeting, appeals to protesting farmers to return home

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Cabinet held a special meeting here on Tuesday evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister M L Khattar in the wake of the events that unfolded in the national capital during the tractor parade and appealed to all protesting farmers to return to their homes.

    Khattar said farmer unions had assured a peaceful tractor rally in the national capital.

    “But the events which unfolded today make it clear that this agitation is now not under the control of these farmer leaders. And the command of this agitation is now in the hands of such anarchic elements whose ideology is different from the farmers’ interests,” he said.

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    The chief minister issued a statement asking the farmer community to ponder over where their agitation was headed.

    “The entire Haryana cabinet, through its special meeting held today, humbly appeals to all farmers of this agitation to return to their homes. The strong need of the hour this time is that together we defeat the designs of the anti-social elements,” Khattar said.

    Earlier, he described as “most unfortunate” the incident of a protesting farmer hoisting a religious flag at the Red Fort.

    Such an incident at Red Fort on Republic Day is strongly condemnable, Khattar had said.

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    “In a democratic setup, there is adequate space to resolve issues through dialogue,” he said, referring to the farmers who have been sitting in protest for two months near Delhi’s borders against the Centre’s new farm laws.

    But no Indian will tolerate anyone hoisting any flag other than the tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Khattar said.

    This is an insult to those freedom fighters and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of this nation, he added.

    The freedom fighters did not fight for the country’s independence to see the spread of this type of anarchy, Khattar said.

  • BJP confident of Dushyant Chautala remaining in Haryana govt 

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The BJP appears confident that the alliance government in Haryana will come out unscathed from the farmers’ agitation on account of the political compulsion of Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala. Giving confidence to the BJP is that the Dushyant Chautala-led Janata Jannayak Party (JJP) is faced with the challenge to retain its Jat support base, which is seen increasingly shifting to the Congress.

    Even as Khattar and the BJP leaders haven’t been able to cut ice with the agitating farmers, the party believes that there’s not much of support for the agitation from Haryana. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had met CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Dushyant at North Block on Tuesday in the backdrop of the JJP MLAs growing vocal against the farm laws. 

    “The JJP MLAs are under pressure from its Jat voters. In the Rohtak-Sonipat region, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda has been able to wean away the Jats. The farm agitation is just incidental, as the Jats are shifting away from the JJP to the Congress,” a party insider said. 

    With the JJP and the Congress largely competing for the Jat votes, the BJP leaders claim Dushyant has more stakes in ensuring that the alliance government lasts full term.  “The JJP had far more anti-BJP posturing during the Haryana poll campaign, and the post-poll change of stance by Dushyant  to forge an alliance with the BJP is putting pressure on him to retain his votes among the Jats,” said a BJP functionary.

    Modi hails PM Fasal Bima YojanaNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, which has completed five years, saying it’s an important initiative to secure the farmers from the vagaries of nature.  “An important initiative to secure hardworking farmers from the vagaries of nature, PM Fasal Bima Yojana has completes five years today. The Yojana has increased coverage, mitigated risk and benefitted crores of farmers. I congratulate all beneficiaries of the scheme,” Modi said in a series of tweets. The PM Fasal Bima Yojana has been one of the key initiatives of the Central government to extend compensation benefits to the farmers in the events of the crop damage.

  • Khattar, Chautala meet Amit Shah, say BJP-JJP govt in Haryana ‘strong’

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: With the Centre’s new farm laws threatening to rock the boat of the BJP-JJP alliance government in Haryana, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday took stock of the political situation in the state at a meeting with CM Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala. 

    While the BJP leaders sought to downplay the threat to the alliance, Shah, who had scripted the alliance after the fractured state poll mandate, turned the focus on the law and order situation and security at the meeting.

    “The government is strong and it will complete the full tenure. All aspects, including the stay by the Supreme Court and the formation of a committee of experts, were discussed with a focus on the preparations for the January 26 Republic Day celebrations,” Khattar told reporters after the meeting. Chautala, who has a strong vote base among the Jat agrarian community, also said there was no threat to the alliance government in the state. Haryana BJP chief O P Dhankar also attended the meeting. 

    In the House of 90 legislators, the BJP has 40 and the JJP 10 MLAs. A few of the JJP MLAs are learnt to have told the deputy CM that the alliance government may have to pay a heavy cost if the laws aren’t repealed. The Centre, incidentally, has stated on occasions that the laws will not be repealed. The Centre should rollback these laws as farmers of Haryana, Punjab and the country are up in arms against the legislations, JJP MLA Jogi Ram Sihag. “We will request Dushyant ji to convey our feelings to Amit Shah ji,” he said. “I have nothing to do with the JJP (meeting)… Not going to Delhi… The sentiment in Haryana is against the laws and it will cost the ruling alliance heavily,” JJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam said.