News Analysis India

Tag: Manohar Lal Khattar

  • Farmers’ adamancy on repeal of farm laws won’t serve any purpose: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said the protesting farmer unions should not remain adamant on repeal of the new central farm laws, adding that making it a precondition for talks with the government does not serve any purpose.

    He also claimed that only a “handful of people” were opposing the farm laws and that “common farmers are happy”.

    “Those spearheading the agitation are in reality not farmers. Real farmers have no objection with the farm laws, they are happy,” he said.

    The chief minister further alleged that those opposing the farm laws are only doing so due to political reasons.

    “Their Punjab team is doing so because polls are approaching there. But there are no polls due in our state. Here the agenda is to defame the government using political angle. And the Congress is also supporting them in this,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Withdraw cases lodged against farmers for protest marches: Samyukt Kisan Morcha

    Khattar said the word “kisan” (farmer) is a sacred one, but some incidents like the alleged sexual exploitation of a woman from West Bengal at the Tikri border last month have “prompted people to raise questions”.

    On Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s appeal to the protesting farmers to end their agitation and his invitation for talks, Khattar said, “The farmer unions are adamant on only one thing — repeal of the farm laws — without being able to pinpoint at any shortcomings of the laws.”

    “It does not serve any purpose if they remain adamant on just one thing and making it a precondition for talks with the government,” he said at a press conference here.

    “What I feel is that Kisan word is a very pious word. Everyone, including me, the government, common people, believe those leading this agitation have faith and respect towards farmers. But the sad part which has come out of this agitation is that some incidents have happened prompting people to raise questions,” he said in an apparent reference to the sexual exploitation incident at Tikri border.

    The Haryana Police had last month launched a probe into allegations by the father of the victim woman, who died after showing COVID-like symptoms, at a hospital in Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district, that she had been raped by two men she had accompanied to the farmers protest site at Tikri border.

    The CM also referred to the death of a 42-year-old man whose family members alleged that he was set on fire by four people in Bahadurgarh.

    According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, the four men were part of the ongoing farmers agitation at the Tikri border near Delhi.

    “There has been sexual assault, murder, and also disputes with local people about roads being blocked for which even panchayats have been held,” Khattar said.

    He also referred to the alleged targeting of BJP-JJP leaders in the state over the farm laws.

    “I condemn their undemocratic way of work. We are exercising restraint. And what are they (those spearheading the stir) saying that the ministers, MLAs, chief minister, deputy CM cannot go to attend public functions. After all those running the government, it is their responsibility to go among the people and listen to them,” he said.

    “We have always exercised restraint as they (protesters) are our own people, we do not want confrontation. When they say some things, we tolerate it as they are our own people. But exceeding it beyond limit is not in anyone’s interest,” he added.

  • CM Manohar Lal Khattar to meet EAM Jaishankar for Haryana man lodged in Australian prison

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said he will be meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to seek his intervention in securing the release of 24-year-old Vishal Jood from a prison in Australia.

    According to local media reports, Jood, who hails from Haryana’s Karnal, is lodged in an Australian prison for his alleged role in a series of hate attacks on suspected pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Sydney this year.

    Khattar said he would also urge the Australian High Commission to intervene in the issue, an official statement said here.

    The chief minister had earlier also spoken to Jaishankar and was assured of full cooperation from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Australia regarding Jood’s release, it said.

    Khattar, who is in Manali, said continuous efforts are on to secure the release of the youth.

    Meanwhile, on the second day of his visit to the resort town in Himachal Pradesh, the Haryana chief minister held a virtual meeting with representatives of NGOs and NRIs living in Australia and thanked them for sending oxygen concentrators and other medical equipment to India amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He also urged the Haryanvi diaspora and foreign investors to invest in Haryana.

    Describing Haryana as a preferred destination for investment, Khattar said the state government has constituted a Foreign Cooperation Department to resolve various issues related to foreign investment and to coordinate with foreign investors.

    Along with this, a single-window system has been created through which investors can get all types of approvals online easily in 45 days to set up their industry, he said.

    Apart from this, Khattar said, a relationship manager will be assigned to investors who wish to set up their business in Haryana.

    Khattar added that the Haryana government was committed to create a progressive business environment in the state.

    In Haryana, 10 industrial model townships with all necessary facilities have been set up.

    A separate MSME Department has been created for the purpose of promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, he said.

    Haryana is a preferred destination for auto companies and auto-component manufacturers, the chief minister said.

    Haryana has immense potential for industry in the fields of auto manufacturing, skill development, IT and ITES, agro and agro-based industries such as food processing, health and animal science, tourism, integrated aviation hubs, he added.

  • Haryana CM seeks EAM Jaishankar’s intervention for release of youth from Australian jail

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has spoken to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking his intervention to secure the release of a state youth from a prison in Australia.

    According to media reports, 24-year-old Vishal Jood is lodged in an Australian prison for alleged hand in a series of hate attacks on suspected pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Sydney this year.

    There have been protests for his release in Karnal and Haryana districts from the Ror community, to which he belongs.

    “Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking his intervention to secure release of Haryanvi youth Vishal Jood, who is currently lodged in a prison in Australia,” said a tweet from the state’s Directorate of Information, Public Relations and Languages Department.

    “For the honour of the Tricolour in Sydney, Haryana’s young Vishal Jood fought firmly with anti-national forces and did not allow the Tricolour to be insulted,” the tweet further said.

    “There are also a lot of demonstrations taking place in Australia in support of Vishal. Vishal’s supporters claim that some anti-national forces beat him up and later implicated him in a false case after which he was sent to jail,” it said, adding Jaishankar has assured Khattar of taking steps to secure the youth’s release.

  • Khattar meets group of farmers backing agri laws, says only a handful of people agitating

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A delegation of farmers backing the Centre’s farm laws met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here on Tuesday and was advised to form a group of 30-40 members having factual knowledge about the legislations to spread awareness about them in every village of the state.

    The delegation was led by Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana State leader Guni Prakash, according to a state government statement.

    Speaking to reporters later in the evening after a meeting of BJP-JJP ruling alliance MLAs and Independents, Khattar said there are only a “handful of people” who were opposing the farm laws and that “common farmers are happy”.

    Issues related to governance were discussed at the legislators meeting, he said, adding the meeting was held after a gap of three months due to the COVID-19 situation.

    During the meeting with the chief minister, Guni Prakash said the ongoing protest against the Centre’s farm laws was political in nature and that the “real farmers” were in favour of the legislations.

    Khattar said at the meeting, “Rather than agitating against the farm laws, every farmer should be well versed about the benefits of these laws so that those who are trying to spread misinformation and mislead them fail to attain their vested interests.”

    He suggested that, if needed, farmers should be given training to help them get ample knowledge about these laws and for creating further awareness.

    Interacting with journalists, Khattar said, “A delegation of farmers led by Guni Prakash met me. They were satisfied that farmers will benefit from the farm laws.”

    While replying to a question, he then added, “A handful of people are supporting this (farmers) agitation, their number is not big.”

    “Common farmers are not opposing these laws, they are happy. They are getting payment directly into their accounts, farmers have freedom to sell anywhere. However, a handful of people who have their agenda they are opposing (farm laws),” said Khattar.

    He said there are now voices against the agitators from many places.

    Asked why the government is not taking action against the agitators, he said, “In a democracy everyone has the right to keep his viewpoint. Those who are opposing (farm laws) and those who are supporting are our own people. If anyone protests in a democratic manner, we have no problem.”

    Earlier, Guni Prakash submitted a letter of support to the chief minister on the farm laws and said that “from day one the real farmers are in favour of these legislations, while the so-called farmers have given a political colour to this peaceful movement and the real farmers like us are bearing the brunt”.

    “Those agitating on Delhi borders are political representatives,” he said, according to the statement.

    Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said that the state government is committed to safeguarding the interest of farmers and farming community and several steps have been taken in this direction.

    Implementation of the Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana for water conservation is one such step, he said.

    The delegation also invited the chief minister to attend a progressive farmers’ programme as chief guest that is likely to be held at Kurukshetra.

    Farmers owing allegiance to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body spearheading agitation against the farm laws, have been opposing public functions of leaders of the state’s ruling BJP-JJP coalition.

    Several farmers under the SKM banner have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    The government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.

  • Delegation of farmers backing Centre’s agri laws meets Haryana CM

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A delegation of farmers backing the Centre’s farm laws met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here on Tuesday and was advised to form a group of 30-40 members having factual knowledge about the legislations to spread awareness about them in every village of the state.

    The delegation was led by Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana State leader Guni Prakash, according to a state government statement.

    Prakash said the ongoing protest against the Centre’s farm laws was political in nature and that the “real farmers” were in favour of the legislations.

    Khattar said, “Rather than agitating against the farm laws, every farmer should be well versed about the benefits of these laws so that those who are trying to spread misinformation and mislead them fail to attain their vested interests.”

    He suggested that, if needed, farmers should be given training to help them get ample knowledge about these laws and for creating further awareness.

    Prakash submitted a letter of support to the chief minister on the farm laws and said that “from day one the real farmers are in favour of these legislations, while the so-called farmers have given a political colour to this peaceful movement and the real farmers like us are bearing the brunt”.

    “Those agitating on Delhi borders are political representatives,” he said, according to the statement.

    Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said that the state government is committed to safeguarding the interest of farmers and farming community and several steps have been taken in this direction.

    Implementation of the Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana for water conservation is one such step, he said.

    The delegation also invited the chief minister to attend a progressive farmers’ programme as chief guest that is likely to be held at Kurukshetra.

    Farmers owing allegiance to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body spearheading agitation against the farm laws, have been opposing public functions of leaders of the state’s ruling BJP-JJP coalition.

    Several farmers under the SKM banner have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    The government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.

  • Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava seeks premature repatriation to Intelligence Bureau

    By Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Director General of Police Manoj Yadava on Tuesday sought repatriation to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to join back the agency as an additional director due to carrier consideration and family requirements.

    In a letter written to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajeev Arora, Yadava said: “It may kindly be recalled that the undersigned had joined as Director General of Police, Haryana, on February 21, 2019, in pursuance of the Haryana home department order dated February 19 for a period of two years. The undersigned had joined Haryana on deputation from the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, for a period of two years.”

    “The Haryana Government Home department order dated January 7, 2021, has extended my tenure as Director-General of Police beyond February 20, 2021, till further order,” the letter said.

    The letter further reads, “In this connection, it is informed that the undersigned would now like to return to Intelligence Bureau to resume my duties as Additional Director due to carrier consideration and family requirements. It is, therefore, requested that the undersigned be kindly be relieved for re-joining the Intelligence Bureau.”

    In January this year, the Haryana Government had extended Yadava’s term till further orders for a period of two years but Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had taken exception to the extension and pushed for a panel to select a new DGP. Vij, in March, had written to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to send a panel of officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to be considered for the next DGP.

    However, CM Manohar Lal Khattar had a disagreement with Vij. Khattar then said, “We are not removing Yadava as the DGP after completion of two years, which is a minimum stipulation prescribed by the Supreme Court. The DGP has already been given an extension to continue till further orders. There is no decision to replace him.”

  • Farmers protest ahead of Haryana CM Khattar’s arrival at Panchkula event

    By PTI
    PANCHKULA: A group of farmers on Sunday held a protest hours before Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was to attend an event here, with police taking some of the protesters into preventive custody before the CM’s arrival.

    Shortly before Khattar was to inaugurate a wellness centre at Thapli Nature Camp here, some farmers carrying black flags to protest against the new agri laws used alternate routes in an attempt to reach closer to the venue, police said.

    A small group among them tried to cross the police barricades put up near the camp but when police stopped them, they squatted on the road.

    Later, the protesters were put into a police bus and taken into preventive custody.

    There was heavy police deployment in the area as Khattar was to reach the venue after inaugurating a few adventure sports activities in the Morni area.

    Some of the protesters said they were holding a peaceful protest, but police used force to disperse them.

    They alleged a group of farmers including some elderly, who were squatting on the road, were picked up and bundled into a police bus.

    Protesting farmers have been opposing public functions of the BJP-JJP leaders in the state over the farm laws issues.

    Several farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    However, the government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.

     

  • 50 people have died due to black fungus in Haryana, 650 more receiving treatment: Khattar

    Health Minister Anil Vij had directed officials to increase the number of beds in all government medical colleges of the state from 20 to 75 to treat patients infected with black fungus.

  • FIR against Haryana farmers over violence during protest against CM Khattar in Hisar

    By PTI
    HISAR (Haryana): The Haryana police have registered a case against 350 unnamed farmers for allegedly attacking government employees and stone pelting during the protest against Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who had inaugurated a COVID hospital here last week.

    The case has been registered on the complaint of Inspector Virendra Kumar, in-charge of Urban Estate Police Station, police said on Thursday.

    The case has been registered under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 188 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions), 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code, a district police spokesperson said.

    Twenty policemen, including five women officials, were injured in the clash between the farmers and the police on Sunday, officials said.

    The police had lobbed tear gas shells and used force to disperse a group of farmers who tried to march towards the venue where Khattar had gone to inaugurate the COVID hospital on May 16.

    Scores of farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws since last November and opposing public functions of BJP-JJP leaders in the state.

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ unions spearheading the stir against the farm laws, in a statement had condemned the alleged assault on the protesters.

    The police on Thursday clarified that tear gas was used first and then mild force was applied at the magistrate’s order to protect the hospital from sabotage and to maintain law and order.

    They also maintained that although a meeting was held between the farmer leaders and police after the incident on Sunday evening, the IG Police (Hisar Range) did not give any assurance that no FIR would be registered against the protesters, as was being claimed by some farmer leaders.

    The police said when the protesters had started gathering on Sunday, the district police chief repeatedly informed them that the CM had already left the venue after inaugurating the COVID hospital.

    However, the protesters did not pay heed and carried on with the agitation.

    The police added that though some senior farmer leaders made efforts to stop some of the young protesters who had turned aggressive, they did not listen to the leaders.

    “The agitators indulged in vandalism and blockade near the Jindal bridge and rammed barricades when the DSP and other police force reached the entrance of the newly-constructed Chaudhary Devi Lal Sanjeevani Hospital.

    “They also tried to injure police officers by hitting them with vehicles and tractors several times. Heavy stones were also thrown at the police,” a police spokesperson said.

    Meanwhile, Haryana Congress leader and Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi condemned the registration of case against the farmers and sought a judicial inquiry into the entire incident.

  • COVID: Haryana records 114 deaths, 7,488 fresh cases; CM asks officials to check virus spread at villages

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana on Monday reported 114 COVID deaths and 7,488 fresh cases, taking the state’s fatality count to 6,799 and the total infection number to 7,01,915, according to a Health Department bulletin.

    Gurgaon reported 13 deaths, followed by 10 in Ambala, nine in Panchkula and eight in Panipat.

    Gurgaon also reported the maximum 1,176 cases, followed by Hisar (830), Faridabad (506), and Mahendragarh (469).

    The state has been under lockdown for the past fortnight now and the curbs to check the spread of the infection have been extended by the state government till May 24.

    The number of active cases in the state is currently 83,161.

    So far, 6,11,955 people have recovered from the infection.

    The cumulative positivity rate is 8.45 per cent, the bulletin said, adding that the recovery rate stands at 87.18 per cent.

    The World Health Organization on Monday donated 100 oxygen concentrators to Haryana.

    The vital medical equipment was handed over to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a simple function at Gurgaon.

    WHO representative, national professional officer and regional team leader (North India), Dr Vishesh handed over the concentrators to Khattar on behalf of WHO, a state government statement said here.

    The chief minister thanked WHO for the gesture.

    He said the state government is working as per the WHO guidelines to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in Haryana.

    About the raging pandemic, Dr Vishesh assured WHO’s support to the country to combat it.

    He said the WHO stands with the people of India in this crisis and will continue to work with the central and state governments.

    Dr Vishesh said the WHO is also helping India in filling the gaps in the availability of oxygen, testing kits and hospital beds.

    He said apart from those working for Covid-19, more than 2,600 WHO’s technical officers are helping the government in TB eradication and immunization and NCD program.

    Meanwhile, Khattar on Monday inaugurated a 100-bed Covid Care Centre set up by the Hero MotoCorp in the auditorium of a government college in Gurgaon, Sector-14.

    With this facility, the chief minister has inaugurated Covid Care Centres with a collective capacity of 500 beds for Covid-19 patients in Gurgaon over the last two days, another official statement said here.

    The Covid Care Centre built in the college auditorium is equipped with 100 oxygen beds.

    “The district administration will supply oxygen here. The Hero Group, however, has also arranged for 100 oxygen concentrators. In collaboration with an NGO called Doctors for You, Hero Group will also make medicines and doctors available,” the state government statement said.

    The Covid Care Centre will be under the supervision of the Civil Surgeon’s office.

    If a patient becomes serious, arrangements have been made to shift him from these centres to hospitals.

    Two-wheeler market leader Hero MotoCorp had on Saturday said it has partnered with the Gurgaon district administration to set up a makeshift 100-bed Covid Care centre in Gurugram.

    The company, in a statement earlier, had said it is supporting the setting up of the centre at the Government Girls College in Sector 14, Gurgaon under its Corporate Social Responsibility platform “Hero We Care”.

    Khattar, meanwhile also inaugurated a facility of additional 100 oxygen beds for Covid patients in Metro Hospital in Faridabad through video conferencing from Gurgaon and 50-bedded Covid Care Centre having oxygen facility at Primary Health Centre in village Bhora Kalan in Pataudi Assembly constituency of Gurgaon.

    This Covid Care Centre inaugurated in village Bhora Kalan is the first such facility in the rural area of Gurgaon, the statement said.

    Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar summoned an ’emergency meeting’ of senior officials here on late Monday evening and directed them to make special arrangements for the containment of coronavirus in rural areas.

    After conducting a whirlwind tour in various districts, including Gurgaon, for the last two days to take stock of things in the wake of the second coronavirus wave, Khattar convened an “emergency meeting at late night with the senior officers of all the departments, including Health Department as soon as he reached Chandigarh”.

    Stating this, a state government statement said during the meeting, the chief minister gave necessary directions to the officers concerned.

    The chief minister directed the officers concerned to make special arrangements for the containment of virus spread in rural areas, it said.

    Khattar had recently said that the state government was launching various measures, including setting up isolation centres in the villages as part of containment measures to check spread of the virus in the rural belt.

    In a review meeting held here recently, Khattar had said the COVID-19 spread is not confined to urban areas only, it is also hitting rural areas hard.

    “Those patients who do not have home isolation arrangements should immediately be shifted to nearest isolation centres set up in the rural areas,” he said at the Monday’s meeting.

    “All panchayats should make proper arrangements including adequate availability of beds and food facilities in these isolation centres that are being set up in their villages.”

    He said specially-designed home isolation kits should also be provided to the patients living in home isolation.

    Pulse oximeters should be provided to each such family, he directed.

    The dedicated COVID-19 hospitals should be constantly monitored and the patients from rural areas should be sent to these facilities so that they can get the timely benefit of proper required healthcare in these hospitals, he said.

    Khattar directed the officers that special emphasis should be given in rural areas so that the virus spread chain can be broken, while more attention should also be paid so that the number of positive cases in urban areas do not rise.

    Khattar was apprised by the officials that out of 8,000 teams constituted for conducting door-to-door health check-ups in rural areas, about 2500 teams already visited the villages and more than 10 lakh rural population has been covered so far.

    “More than 15,000 tests have been conducted, in which about 7 per cent positive cases have been reported. Other teams will also reach the villages in the next two-three days,” the chief minister was apprised.

    It was informed that more than 30,000 pulse oximeters and 10,000 thermal scanners have been given to these teams.

    He was further apprised that so far about 8,000 oxygen cylinders have been supplied at the doorsteps of the COVID-19 patients in the state who are in home isolation and patients having other health issues who need oxygen cylinders at their homes.

    An estimated time of about 6 to 8 hours is taken for the supply of these oxygen cylinders after demand is raised.

    The chief minister said that timely delivery of oxygen cylinders to each such household should be ensured and the supply time should not be more than 2-3 hours.

    Police Control Room vans should also be used to deliver oxygen cylinders in an emergency, he directed.

    During the meeting, the chief minister also reviewed black fungus disease cases, which are being seen in some of the COVID patients.

    He was apprised that till now, more than 100 cases of black fungus have been reported in Haryana.

    Four medical colleges have been identified for its treatment.