BJP, INLD trade barbs in Haryana Assembly over governor's address

The Haryana Assembly Thursday witnessed sharp exchanges between opposition INLD and the ruling BJP after Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala accused the latter of making the governor read out the party's achievements in the House.

Addressing the state assembly on the opening day of the budget session here Wednesday, Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya had praised the government's commitment to "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" and "Haryana Ek, Haryanvi Ek", saying results of the recent mayoral elections and five municipal council polls were a "solid vindication" of that.

The BJP had swept the municipal polls in Hisar, Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak and Yamunanagar as well as the by-election in Jind.

Taking strong objections to the governor's address, Chautala Thursday asked the government to clarify "if the governor was made to read out the government's agenda or the BJP's".

The leader of opposition also pointed out that the governor concluded his speech in just a few minutes after reading out only a portion of the 44-page document, while telling the House that rest of it be treated as read.

Responding to the allegation, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar asserted that the governor had spoken about the government's policies and its developmental agenda.

"It is the prerogative of the governor whether he reads out one para or half a page. Moreover, this is not something new, there are so many examples from other states too, where governors after reading out a portion of the speech, say that the remaining part of it be treated as read," he said.

"Whatever the governor said during the course of his speech about the government and its policies, he spoke about people of Haryana," Khatter added.

Rebutting Chautala's charge, the chief minister further said, "'Haryana Ek, Haryanvi Ek' is our government's policy. The governor spoke about prosperity for all. The speech did not talk about prosperity of a BJP worker, but that of the entire society, entire state.."