Haryana: BJP’s Rohtak MP trains gun at Khattar; former minister Grover

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Rohtak MP Arvind Sharma on Sunday hit out at Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and former co-operative minister Manish Grover.

Addressing a gathering at Rohtak’s Pehrawar, Sharma said he had met the CM on Wednesday and urged him to hand over the 123 kanal land in the village to a Gaur Brahmin society so that they can build a college there.

“CM Khattar had assured me of providing the land in a few days, but Manish Grover had a word with him and the process was delayed. Khattar is an honest man, but he gets influenced while making decisions,” he claimed.

The Rohtak MP alleged that there were some people in the BJP, who could not digest his victory from Rohtak.

Sharma said the BJP had fought the 2014 assembly polls under the leadership of Ram Bilas Sharma, but instead chose Manohar Lal Khattar for the CM post.

“Corruption has massively spread its tentacles. I don’t know why they are not expanding the Metro lines from Bahadurgarh to Rohtak,” he added.

Apologising for his remarks on the Congress and its leader Deepender Hooda last year, the Rohtak MP said he had made the “biggest mistake of his life” by giving a statement in favour of Grover.

Last year, Sharma had said that the Congress and Deepender should listen to him and if anyone dared to target Grover, their “eyes will be gouged out and hands chopped off”. Sharma’s remarks had come a day after some BJP leaders, including Grover, were held hostage for a few hours at a temple.

“I made a mistake by giving a statement in favour of Grover. I had raised the issue of multi-crore corruption in Amrut Yojana in Rohtak. Now, they are seeking evidence from me. Instead of asking me, they should direct a CIA team to arrest the contractor and his aides. They will reveal everything in a thorough interrogation,” the Rohtak MP said.

It may be noted here that members of the Gaur Brahmin society led by former Aam Aadmi Party Haryana chief Naveen Jaihind have been protesting against Haryana government seeking land ownership rights of the land at Pehrawar village. “We will build a temple of Parashuram here and a college. I am ready to go to jail, but we will not give our land,” Jaihind said.

However, despite repeated attempts, comments of former minister Manish Grover on the allegations levelled by Arvind Sharma could not be elicited.

Sharma’s corruption allegation are true: Hooda

Former Haryana CM and leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday said the allegations of corruption levelled by BJP MP Arvind Sharma were true.

“Corruption is rampant everywhere, be it recruitment or corporation, liquor or land deeds. The BJP MP’s claims are vital to prove that allegations made by the Opposition about corruption are true,” he added.

Addressing a press conference at his residence here, Hooda said his cabinet had given the land of Pehrawar village to the Gaur Brahmin society in 2007 and no government can take it away.

“The cabinet had made the decision after following the rule of law. Our government had given the land on lease at nominal rates. Even today, the Gaur Brahmin organisation has the right on the land. If the government tries to change it, we will oppose it,” Hooda said.

The former chief minister Hooda said the entire tenure of the present Haryana government was full of failures.

“Instead of giving jobs to youths, the government is exploiting them in the name of Kaushal Nigam. The government should give a ₹500 bonus to farmers on wheat. The government, which had promised to double farmers’ income by 2022, has only doubled the cost and debt. During out party’s brainstorming session at Udaipur, we have decided to form a national commission and in case of non-payment of farm loans, no farmer’s land would be auctioned,” Hooda added.