Mewat crowd not impressed by ‘social welfare’ event

The crowd was disappointed as no major developmental scheme was announced for the district

The crowd that assembled for the BJP-led Union government’s ‘Progress Panchayat’ programme in Mewat on Thursday afternoon was a disappointed lot as the chief guest — Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi — did not announce any major developmental scheme for the district.

The crowd braved the sultry weather expecting some doles but they were left unhappy by the hour-long event that looked more like a political rally.(Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Expectations were high as Mewat is one of the most background districts in Haryana and the Progress Panchayat was projected as a nationwide social welfare outreach programme.

The presence of Bhani Ram Mangla, chairman of Gau Raksha Aayog — the organisation behind the recent ‘biryani policing’— on stage with the minister did not seem to go down well with the gathering.

Given the publicity given for the event by the state, thousands of residents of Bichhor and adjoining Punhana town started pouring in to the venue since 11 am.

However, as the minister and his team, expected to reach by 12:30, were late, a number of people left the venue. The rest, who braved the sultry weather, expecting some doles, were left unhappy after the hour-long event that looked more like a political rally unfruitful to them.

The presence of Bhani Ram Mangla, chairman of Gau Raksha Aayog — the organisation behind the recent ‘biryani policing’— on stage with the minister did not seem to go down well with the gathering. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

“They talk of Muslim welfare and did not even announce a train to Mewat. We have been waiting for this announcement for long,” Mohd Zeeshan, a 65- year-old farmer from village in Punhana said.

Many in the crowd had expected an announcement about the long-pending rail connectivity for the region. The issue, however, was raised by Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who said decades have passed since Independence and Mewat is yet to see a train chugging by. He invited Naqvi’s attention towards the issue.

Many in the crowd said Mangla, a known leader in Mewat, sharing the dias with leaders, including Naqvi, showed the nexus between the BJP and cow vigilantes. Two weeks ago, police had collected biriyani samples from several vendors in Mewat after rumours spread that several of them were selling beef biryani.

“His (Mangla ) presence on the dais is a proof than BJP and people who seized biryani samples are hand in glove. No matter how much they (BJP) tries to reach out to us, their agenda has always been the same,” Ikaram Aslam, a Mewat resident said.

Responding to a question on ‘biryani policing’, Naqvi said, “Nothing except vikas (development) is in the BJP’s agenda.”

During the event, the minority affairs minister announced to set up ‘Sadbhawna Mandap’ (Goodwill Pavilion) in every block of district where programmes of communal harmony, skill development, education and sports will be organised.

He announced that the Centre would help Haryana set up an international level driving school in Mewat. Six staff quarters constructed for Rs. 66 lakh in Mewat Model School Punhana were also inaugurated on the occasion.