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CM asks Gurgaon MLA to sit on his side of the fence
Gurgaon MLA Umesh Agarwal had been in the crosshairs of his own government
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Gurgaon’s maverick MLA Umesh Agarwal, who has a history of taking potshots at his own government and questioning bureaucrats, had a tiff with none of other than chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday. The incident happened during a closed door meeting between the CM and the industrialists in Gurgaon at HSIIDC auditorium in Udyog Vihar.
Around 200 industrialists were present at the meeting chaired by the CM, which included top officials from district administration, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Haryana State Industry and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), Haryana urban development authority (Huda) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).
Chief Minister Khattar and Agarwal had a tiff during a discussion on the ownership of industrial plots, enhancement and rights of the allottees. Sources said that Khattar did not like the manner in which the public representative had sided with the industrialists in what was seen as a bid to earn brownie points. “The Gurgaon MLA stood up to clarify a point and walked up to the podium, but the CM asked him not to take sides,” said an industrialist present at the meeting.
Agarwal ha been in the crosshairs of the Khattar government several times over the last three years. Much to the chagrin of the BJP government, Agarwal had questioned his own government over the Gwal Pahari land issue. He had also promised to raise this issue in the state assembly, causing considerable embarrassment to government.
Prior to that, Agarwal had questioned his own government and the town and country planning department in the Assembly. He had asked the CM whether an amendment to affordable housing project scheme in the 2031 master plan of Gurgaon had been made.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Agarwal said that he had stood up and walked to the podium to clarify a point on the issues of ownership and mortgage of plots that are crucial for industry. “The CM said the state government will not allow mortgage of industrial plots by allottees at the time when only 25% payment has been made to HSIIDC. This should not happen as, if owners are not able to mortgage them, the entire purpose of giving lots in instalments would be defeated,” he said.
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Agarwal further said that there was no tiff with the CM, but only a difference of opinion. “The CM told me that those who are on dais should speak on behalf of the government,” he said.
Agarwal further said that as a representative of the people, it was his duty to make the government aware of what is right and wrong with regard to local business conditions and circumstances.
