News Analysis India

Tag: Manohar Lal Khattar

  • Charanjit Singh Channi meets Manohar Lal Khattar, hopes for cooperation between Punjab, Haryana

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday met his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar here and expressed hope that the two states will work together with the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

    Khattar also expressed hope that with mutual cooperation, they will work for the overall development of the region.

    Channi, who was sworn-in as Punjab CM on Monday, and met Khattar in the latter’s office here.

    I hope Punjab and Haryana would work together with the spirit of friendship and cooperation, said Channi.

    Channi offered sweets to Khattar during his visit.

    According to an official statement, Khattar congratulated Channi on being sworn-in as the new chief minister of Punjab.

    The Haryana CM said that it will be his endeavour to ensure the smooth progress of the region by working together in the spirit of mutual love, harmony and cooperation.

    Khattar wished Channi a bright future and also welcomed him by presenting him a bouquet.

    Khattar presented a copy of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, a memento and a shawl to Channi.

  • Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar meets PM Modi in Delhi

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  With farmers intensifying their protests against the Union government’s three farm laws, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. 

    It comes at a time when the BJP appears to be on a drive to reshuffle party leaderships in states. The chief minister told reporters that he held discussions with the Prime Minister on the farmers’ agitations. He has also invited the PM for the laying of foundation stone of the optical railway project in the state. 

    After leadership changes in Gujrat, Karnataka and Uttarkhand, there is speculation that the BJP will now turn its attention to Haryana where the party had to stitch together an alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party, led by the deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, to form a government. 

    Sources said the meeting was set up on the request of the chief minister. The BJP leaders sought to put to rest speculation about a leadership change in the state. The Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur was also in Delhi this week to discuss organisational issues with the party leadership.

  • Haryana wants new House, CM Manohar Lal Khattar writes to Amit Shah for land

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government seems to be following in the footsteps of the Centre. While construction of a new Parliament building in New Delhi is in full swing, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting to provide ten acres of land for constructing a new assembly building in Chandigarh, a Union Territory.

    Confirming this, a senior official said more space would be needed after delimitation in 2026 as the number of MLAs would rise from 90 to 122 while the present building can only accommodate 90 legislators. Also, new systems and technology needs to be incorporated. “Hence, the state government has requested for the land near the existing legislative assembly building,” he said.

    Last month, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta had written to CM Khattar to take up this issue with the Centre.A dispute between Haryana and Punjab has been going on over the present assembly building. The Haryana government complains that it has not got the due share of space as Punjab is in “illegal” occupation over a large part.

  • Haryana CM Khattar lashes out at Amarinder Singh over farmers’ issues

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: After accusing the Congress government in Punjab of fuelling farmers’ unrest in his state, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar listed several steps taken by the BJP ruled state for farmers, and asked what Amarinder Singh’s government has done in comparison.

    “Who is anti-farmer, @capt_amarinder ji? Punjab or Haryana?,” said Khattar after highlighting in eight of his tweets various steps taken by his dispensation for farmers’ welfare.

    “Dear @capt_amarinder ji, Haryana procures 10 crops at MSP – paddy, wheat, mustard, bajra, gram, moong, maize, ground nut, sun flower, cotton and makes the MSP payment directly into the account of the farmer. How many crops does Punjab buy from the farmer at MSP?,” Khattar asked his Punjab counterpart in one of his tweets.

    He also said that Haryana has been paying the highest MSP in the country for sugarcane to its farmers for the last seven years.

    “Why has Punjab felt the need to match Haryana only after an agitation by farmers?,” he asked referring to Singh approving a Rs 15 per quintal hike in the State Agreed Price (SAP) of all sugarcane varieties for the 2021-22 crushing season a week ago.

    Khattar on Monday had accused the Congress government in Punjab of fuelling farmers’ unrest in his state, prompting a sharp response from Singh.

    The exchange had taken place two days after farmers protesting over agri laws enacted by the Centre clashed with the Haryana Police in Karnal.

    Singh had hit back a little later, accusing the BJP, including the Haryana CM, of taking refuge in “shameful lies” over the “horrendous attacks” on protesting farmers.

    “Repeal the farm laws instead of blaming Punjab for the mess your party has put the farming sector in,” Singh had said in a statement.

    Hours later, Khattar, in series of tweets, while mentioning the welfare steps taken by his government for farmers, also said that Haryana provides an incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre to every farmer who wants to move away from paddy cultivation.

    “What is the incentive that Punjab provides to the farmer similarly?,” he asked.

    Khattar also said that Haryana pays interest at 12 per cent to the farmer in case payment is delayed beyond 72 hours from the approval.

    “Does Punjab pay interest on delayed payment? Haryana pays an incentive of Rs 5,000 per acre to the farmer who adopts direct seeding of rice technology, said Khattar, asking Singh, “What incentive does Punjab give?”

    He also mentioned that Haryana pays every farmer Rs 1,000 per acre for stubble management and provides linkages for sale of paddy straw and sought to know from Singh “What incentive does Punjab provide to the farmer?” He also said that Haryana has started micro-irrigation scheme to support farmers with 85 percent subsidy to manage precious water for irrigation.

    “What incentive does Punjab provide, and is it even concerned about the rapidly depleting water table that it will finish the farmer?,” he asked.

    Khattar said that Haryana supports farmers growing horticultural produce by instituting the “Bhawantar Bharpayee Yojana” to insulate the farmer from price variations below cost.

    “What incentive does Punjab provide to its horticulture farmers?,” asked Khattar.

  • Khattar’s anti-farmer agenda exposed: Amarinder Singh hits back at Haryana CM

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s “anti-farmer agenda” has been exposed as he defended the assault on peasants by accusing the Congress government in Punjab of fuelling the unrest against the Centre’s three farm laws, Amarinder Singh said on Monday.

    Earlier in the day, Khattar put the onus of the unrest in his state against the Central legislations on the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab, the Congress and the Left.

    Hitting back, the Punjab chief minister said, “The BJP’s adamant refusal to revoke the laws reflected the vested interests of the party and its leadership, which had once again placed their crony capitalist friends over the common man.

    ” Blaming the BJP squarely for the unrest, Amarinder Singh said the crisis would not have assumed such grave proportions had the BJP, including the Haryana chief minister and his deputy, heeded the farmers’ concerns and empathised with them “instead of taking refuge in shameful lies for the horrendous attacks on the peaceful farmers”.

    He said Khattar’s “anti-farmer” agenda has been exposed as the Haryana chief minister tried to defend the criminal assault on protesting farmers by putting the onus of their agitation on Punjab.

    “Can’t you see that the farmers of your own state are angry with you for your apathetic attitude towards them and your party’s stubborn refusal to repeal the farm laws?” he posed.

    The farmers were fighting for their survival and did not need provocation from Punjab or any other state to protect themselves and their families, CM Amarinder Singh said.

    “Repeal the farm laws instead of blaming Punjab for the mess your party has put the farming sector in.

    The BJP will have to pay for their sins in the upcoming Assembly elections in various states and in every poll thereafter,” he said.

    Around 10 people were allegedly injured on Saturday as police lathi-charged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a national highway while heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting.

    A Kisan Mahapanchayat on Monday sought registration of a case against those involved in the lathi-charge and threatened to lay siege to the secretariat there if their demands are not met by September 6.

    The Punjab chief minister said the Khattar government’s repeated attempts to “forcibly end the farmers’ agitation and the derogatory and obnoxious terms used against farmers by various BJP leaders, will backfire.”

    Recalling that the farmers had held protests across Punjab for two months before shifting focus to the Delhi borders, Amarinder Singh said his state had not witnessed a single incident of violence during the period.

    “Even recently, when sugarcane farmers staged protests, we negotiated with them and resolved the issue instead of using brute force,” he added.

    The Punjab chief minister said he and his government were firmly with the farmers in their anti-farm laws stance and were even giving compensation and jobs to the families of those who have died at the Delhi borders “because of the BJP’s follies”.

    “A government or a political party which allows such tragic and totally avoidable loss of lives to continue under its watch cannot survive,” he added.

  • RLD workers burn effigy of Haryana CM over lathicharge on farmers

    By PTI

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: Several workers of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) burnt an effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday to protest against the lathicharge on farmers in Karnal on August 28.

    The party workers gathered in Pinna village here and raised slogans against the Haryana government.

    Around 10 people were injured on Saturday as police allegedly lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a highway while heading towards Karnal in Haryana to protest against a BJP meeting.

    The police, however, said only four protesters were injured, while 10 cops also sustained injuries.

    The Haryana Police drew severe criticism for the action against the farmers, and several roads and highways, including toll plazas, were blockaded at different places in protest for hours on Saturday.

  • Farmers assured peaceful protest, but stones hurled at cops: Khattar on police action in Karnal

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has defended the police action against protesting farmers in Karnal, saying assurances of a peaceful protest were given, but stones were hurled at cops and a highway was blocked.

    Around 10 people were injured on Saturday as police allegedly lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a national highway while heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting.

    Talking to reporters in Karnal on Saturday evening after the meeting, Khattar said the protesting farmers had earlier assured the government that their protests will be peaceful.

    “If they had to protest, they should have done so in a peaceful manner, no one would have any objection to that. They had earlier assured that they will hold peaceful protests. But if they hurl stones at police, block highway, then police will take steps to maintain law and order,” said Khattar.

    Referring to the BJP meeting in Karnal, Khattar said it was a state-level meeting of the party and “I condemn the call which they (farmers’ outfits) had given to oppose it.”

    “Obstructing the function of any organisation, on account of any reason, in itself is anti-democratic,” he added.

    Haryana’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk had earlier said only four protesters were injured, while ten cops sustained injuries in the incident.

    He said some protesters pelted stones at the cops and tried to attack them.

    Karnal Police IG Mamta Singh had said, “We used mild force because they were blocking the highway. Some stones were also pelted towards the police. Mild force was used to disperse the protesters”.

    Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday met some of the injured protesters in a hospital in Karnal and condemned the “brutal lathicharge” by police.

    Tikait said the conspiracy to attack the farmers in Karnal is clear from “the orders of the Duty Magistrate, who is ordering the police to break the heads of farmers and lash them with sticks”.

    “The government is using lathis to suppress voice of farmers, but it is mistaken,” Tikait said.

    Haryana BKU (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni said a meeting of farmers’ outfits will be held in Karnal on Monday to discuss futue course of action in the wake of alleged lathicharge.

    To protest the lathicharge incident, he said the call for road blockade was until Saturday evening and added further course will be decided on Monday.

    Farmers protesting against the central farm laws have been opposing public functions of the BJP-JJP combine in Haryana.

    Several farmers had gathered at the Bastara toll plaza near Karnal, responding to a call given by the BKU.

    The use of force by police had invited severe criticism from opposition parties.

  • Khattar makes business pitch in Korean, goes all out to lure foreign investors in Haryana

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH:  Haryana CM, Manohar Lal Khattar tried to hardsell his state as an attractive destination for investors, saying it was not limited to business to business or government to business or government to government relationship. 

    “Haryana is the land of hospitality and the birthplace of the Gita. That’s why we believe in heart to heart connect,” he said at the inauguration of the new state-of-the-art corporate headquarters of Hyundai Motors India at Sector-29 in Gurugram on Tuesday.

    Reaching out to the Korean investors, Khattar introduced himself in Korean. The chief minister also concluded his speech in Korean as well saying, “I welcome you to Land of Haryana.” Many South Korean companies are showning interest to invest in Haryana, he added.

    The state’s single-window system has been recognized as one of the best in India for providing approvals for the industry, he asserted. “We have set up a new department named Foreign Cooperation Department to help investors and entrepreneurs,” he added. 

    Khattar said that in the matter of industrial investment, Haryana is not only focusing on the satisfaction of the investors, but also on keeping the customers happy. “The establishment of the headquarters of Hyundai is a living example of Haryana’s ease of doing business’ and ease of living.”

    Haryana is a land of possibilities, enterprise, research and innovation, he said. “Today Haryana is counted among the most developed and industrialised states of India.” 

  • Congress should refrain from games that lower country’s image: BJP’s Khattar on Pegasus snooping row 

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday hit out at the Congress over its attack on the central government over the Pegasus snooping row, and accused its leaders of joining hands with those forces who want to tarnish India’s image.

    He claimed that there is no evidence to link the government with the matter.

    Addressing a press conference here, the senior BJP leader also questioned the credentials of those behind the story and alleged “everyone knows their leanings”.

    He also targeted Amnesty International, saying the agenda of the organisation, “which had failed to disclose its source of funding, is well-known”.

    ALSO READ | Shashi Tharoor-headed Parliamentary panel to question Centre on Pegasus phone tapping row on July 28

    Hitting out at the Congress, he alleged that it leaders are joining hands with those forces who want to tarnish India’s image.

    “They should refrain from playing such games which lower the country’s image in the eyes of the world… Today, India has reached to some level in the world which is because of policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and of the NDA government. The way they have raked up controversy, we condemn it.

    “By raking up this controversy under a conspiracy, they are trying to systematically assault the country’s prestige, which we condemn,” Khattar said.

    Khattar also questioned the timing of the story coming as it did a day before Parliament’s Monsoon session began on Monday.

    “The entire row is timed to disrupt Parliament and build a baseless agenda,” he said and also raked up snooping allegations levelled against the opposition party in the past, including a row involving then Union ministers Pranab Mukherjee and P Chidambaram.

    He further claimed everyone knows under what circumstances the government led by former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar fell in 1991 when the Congress decided to withdraw support in the wake of a controversy over spotting of two intelligence operatives outside the residence of its leader at 10, Janpath in the national capital.

    Further targeting Congress, he said it has been revealed that around 9,000 phones were monitored during the previous UPA regime.

    ALSO READ | Kamal Nath demands probe into Pegasus snooping case by Supreme Court judge 

    He said Parliament would have taken up many important issues pertaining to various sections, including the youth, women, farmers and backward classes, but the Opposition stalled the proceedings.

    “Congress’ target has always been that when some good things are to take shape in the country, it joins hands with some forces to derail things,” he alleged.

    “They are not creating obstacles in running of the government, but in the country’s progress. …Congress’ black deeds will never succeed in the country,” he said.

    When asked about the claim that Pegasus software/spyware is sold only to government, Khattar quipped, “No, private agencies also procure it from them. Now, it may be that private agencies take it from them privately and not declare it.”

     An international media consortium reported on Sunday that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders besides scores of business persons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking using Pegasus software/spyware.

  • If you want, you can get yourself vaccinated in Haryana as well: CM Khattar tells Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar Friday told Rahul Gandhi that if he wants he can get himself vaccinated from Haryana as well, hours after the Congress leader took a swipe at the Centre saying July has come but vaccines have not.

    Gandhi’s remarks had drawn a sharp retort from the BJP which cited figures to ask if spreading “confusion” is the opposition party’s undeclared policy.

    “July has come, vaccines have not. Where are vaccines,” Gandhi tweeted.

    Responding to him, Khattar addressed Gandhi as “Rahul ji” and pointed to Co-win portal saying “you can register here. App is also available”.

    “If you want, you can get vaccinated from Haryana as well, where a large number of citizens are getting vaccinated everyday, as part of the #Worlds Largest Vaccine Drive,” Khattar said in his tweet.