The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana defeated the motion of no confidence in the state assembly today.
Chandigarh:
The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana today defeated the motion of no confidence presented by Congress in the state assembly. The ruling BJP-JJP alliance had 55 votes, the opposition got 32 votes. Congress had moved the motion, claiming that two independent MLAs that supported the government had withdrawn their support for the government. However, the party had made clear that the exercise was intended to expose MLAs who did not support the farmers’ cause amid widespread anger over the Center’s farm laws. In some parts of the state, farmers have boycotted elected MLAs who support the core laws.
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The BJP only had 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly. It also has the support of 10 MLAs from the Jannayak Janata Party, an ally of Dushyant Chautala, and five independent legislators. Congress has 31 seats.
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The vote took place after nearly six hours of debate, during which Prime Minister ML Khattar claimed that his government has a keen eye on the well-being of farmers and has “never used force” against them. “Force means lathicharge charging and shooting … yes, we dug trenches … we used the water cannon … to stop them from interstate movement,” he said, adding, “Don’t take our patience as our weakness,” he said.
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Former Congressional Senior Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Senior Minister Khattar’s inability to raise the flag at Panipat on January 26 indicates his unpopularity with the people. The protesting farmers did not allow Khattar’s helicopter to land. He also reminded the government that agriculture is a state issue, saying, “The moment I talk about agricultural laws, they (the government) say they are core laws.”
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Previous BJP speakers had demanded that Congress prove that force was used against farmers. The MLA party and Cabinet Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar said: “Share the proof of the lathicharge office … If we have appointed any farmers like Khalistani and Pakistani, then share the names of such leaders.
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Congressional leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian said the vote of no confidence would make clear who supports the farmers and who is against them. “Entrance panels have been placed on the outskirts of villages prohibiting the entry of BJP and JJP leaders, while Khap Panchayats has made calls for a social boycott. Never before in history has it happened that the helicopters of the chief minister and Deputy CM’s cannot land in the villages, “said Mr. Kadian.
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The party’s target was seen as JJP, which has a considerable following among farmers. Kadian said the JJP MLAs, who had disputed the 2019 assembly polls against the BJP before forging an alliance, should examine their conscience.
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Chaudhary Devi Lal (Dushyant Chautala’s great-grandfather) dedicated his entire life to the cause of farmers. JJP leaders should look into their inner conscience before voting, “Kadiyan said.
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The reference to Devi Lal provoked a mockery from the Senior Deputy Minister, who said: “Please remind us when Chudhary Devi Lal was in league with you.” Downplaying the ongoing farmers’ protest in the state, he added: “When Hooda was prime minister, who was publicly slapped? Ink was thrown at Kejriwal. So protests happen and I mean that in the 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 began their march towards Delhi, the government of Manohar Lal Khattar had launched an offensive. Police had dug trenches in the road and countered protesting peasants with batons, tear gas and water cannons.
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Farmers are protesting three laws that they fear will remove the Minimum Support Prices offered by the government and leave them exposed to manipulation by companies. Although the Center has repeatedly denied it, the farmers want the laws repealed.
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