New Delhi: Haryana is as much famous for giving our country Olympic medal winners, world class atheletes, wrestlers and sportspersons, their boys to the armed forces, glittering hi tech mega city Gurugram, earlier called Gurgaon as much as for skewed sex ration, Khap panchayats and bride scarcity.
Khaps are a unique phenomenon of Haryana. They often come in news for wrong reasons like honor killings, infanticide, intercaste marriages and the regressive fatwas issued by them time and again. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, in a candid talk on a variety of issues spoke at length with women journalists of IWPC. Excerpts from his interaction give us a sense of the leaderships's direction and governance.
Betraying a sympathetic view of Khaps, Khattar said, 'Khaps have been the guardians of society since long and that marrying in same gotra was considered immoral. So to maintain that purity and discourage immoral activities khaps come in. Individuality in society takes us away from morality.' He emphasized,'Its wrong to say that Khaps do not do positive things. Khaps are very powerful community. They stood with the farmers in their protests. Power lies in their collective approach.' He attributed same gotra marriage to the influence of western culture and films.
On a year and half long farmers agitations on Delhi borders against the three farm laws that wound up after PM Modi repealed them in Parliament, the Chief Minister said, 'the protest was divided into two types of farmers. One who were supporters and the other kind who had political ambitions.' He said the ones with politcal ambitions were misguiding the ordinary farmer who was being instigated to protest. We tried our best to convince them about the advantages of the laws but their plain ademancy made Prime Minister Modi withdraw them. This gesture of the Prime Minister has just but enhanced his stature.' 'It wasn’t a national protest and was limited to only Haryana, Punjab, some parts of UP. So whats right and whats wrong becomes irrelevant when something becomes a movement, he said.'
On how will the farmer agitation affect BJP in the coming elections of UP, Punjab and Goa, Chief Minister said, 'Our popularity does not depend on farmers agitation nor has it been affected. We have done a lot for farmers too.' How about Jat votes being transfered after the farmers protests he said they will remain where they were, 'there will be no impact of farmers agitation on jat votes.'
Haryana was in news for importing brides from neighboring states due to low sex ratio in their state, Khattar said, that's not in our control.
One of the demands of farmers was to compensate the families of farmers that died during the protest. Striking an assuring note Haryana Chief Minister said, 'We do not have data of the exact number of people who died. There was no post mortem. The may have died for any other reason, say by accident or illness. So compensation will be given after tallying the list and confirming how the farmer died. He assured that cases against farmers will be taken back.
Lauding about a dozen schemes that have been rolled out in the name of good governance and the change that have leveraged in the lives of Haryanvi's Khattar said, 'Corruption is prevailent at all levels top to bottom. But how to set it right is the question. I have the will power to set it right and eliminate all corruption.'
Gurugram has been witnessing communal clashes on the stopping of holding namaz on the streets and public places. Calling such happenings as show of strength he said, 'Till namaz is for worshiping sake its ok but to turn it in a show of strength is not right. Some organisations do something for show of their strength. It’s a matter of faith, can be done at a masjid, and there is no problem in doing it with the permission of the administration. Any faith can perform their activity with a proper permission.'
On the incident of a chruch desecration in Pataudi he said, 'such incidents are unfortunate, should not happen, I don't support them. They are not good for society and can be solved. They can approach the administration or the Peace Committees. Talks are the only solution to such incidents.'
On skewed sex ration and infanticides in Haryana and the action taken on it the Chief Minister said, 'In last 2 years it has fallen to around 912, Covid may be a reason too, we haven't been able to concentrate on this side. Around 300 FIR’s have been registered against people who have indulged in infanticide. We have decided on a target of 950 in next 2 years.' Sex ratio has touched 923 in Haryana, as per reports.
Parali burning in the fields of Haryana is a major environment issue for Delhi and neighboring states. The Chief Minsiter said they have given cash incentives to famers to discourage them from burning their crops and find alternative ways. But in the case of no viable alternatives, famers have not adhered to the government orders which is the problem.
