The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana defeated no-confidence motion in state assembly today.
Chandigarh:
The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana defeated the no-confidence motion moved by the Congress in the state assembly today. The ruling BJP-JJP alliance had 55 votes, the opposition scraped up 32 votes. The Congress had moved the motion, claiming two Independent MLAs supporting the government have withdrawn support to the government. The party, though, had made it clear that the exercise was meant to expose MLAs who were not supporting the farmers’ cause amid widespread anger over the Centre’s farm laws. In parts of the state, the farmers have boycotted the elected MLAs who are supporting the Central laws.
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The BJP alone had 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly. It also has the support of 10 MLAs of ally Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party and five independent legislators. The Congress has 31 seats.
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The voting took place after nearly six hours of debate, during with Chief Minister ML Khattar claimed that his government has a keen eye on farmers’ welfare and had “never used force” against them. “Force means lathicharge and firing….yes we did dig trenches….used water canon….to stop them from interstate movement,” he said, adding, “Don’t take our patience as our weakness,” he said.
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Congress’s former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Chief Minister Khattar’ s inability to hoist the flag in Panipat on January 26 indicated its unpopularity among people. Mr Khattar’s chopper was not allowed to land by protesting farmers. He also reminded the government that agriculture is a state subject, saying, “The moment I speak of farm laws, they (the government) says it is Central laws”.
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Earlier speakers of the BJP had demanded that the Congress prove that force was used on farmers. Party MLA and cabinet minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar said, “Share proof of lathicharge… If we have named any farmer as Khalistani and Pakistani, then do share the names of such leaders”.
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Senior Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian said the no-confidence motion would make it clear who stands with farmers and who is against them. “Entry boards have been put up outside villages banning entry of BJP and JJP leaders while Khap Panchayats have given social boycott calls. Never before in history has it happened before that the chief minister and deputy CM’s helicopters are not being allowed to land in villages,” said Mr Kadian.
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The party’s target was seen to be JJP – which has a considerable following among farmers. Mr Kadian said MLAs of JJP, which had contested the 2019 assembly polls against the BJP before forging an alliance, should examine their conscience.
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Chaudhary Devi Lal (great grandfather of Dushyant Chautala) dedicated his entire life for the farmers’ cause. The JJP leaders should look in their inner conscience before voting,” said Mr Kadiyan.
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The reference to Devi Lal drew a jibe from the Deputy Chief Minister, who said, “Please remind us when Chudhary Devi Lal was in alliance with you people”. Playing down the ongoing farmers’ protest in the state, he added: “When Hooda was Chief Minister, who was publicly slapped? Ink was thrown at Kejriwal. So protests do happen and I’m saying this in context of what the opposition kept saying that we are not allowed to enter our constituencies”.
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In November, when the farmers started their march to Delhi, the Manohar Lal Khattar government had started a crackdown. The police had dug trenches on the road and countered the protesting farmers with batons, tear gas and water cannons.
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The farmers are protesting against three laws that they fear will take away the Minimum Support Prices offered by the government and leave them open to manipulation by corporates. Though the Centre has repeatedly denied this, the farmers want the laws struck off.