Regional buzz: Of in-house politics and MLAs’ flair for swearwords

Call it clever thinking or a change of strategy. Rocked by the revolt in its Punjab unit, the Aam Aadmi Party, which used to throw out the party rebels at the slightest hint of dissidence, has changed tack this time in dealing with dissenters.

Keeping tabs on power politics in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K:

Illustration by Daljeet Kaur Sandhu

In-house politics: A bungalow for Cheema

Punjab leader of opposition (LOP) Harpal Singh Cheema was not happy with an official bungalow allotted to him by the Captain Amarinder Singh government in one of southern sectors of Chandigarh. Like some of his predecessors, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA wanted an accommodation in one of the tony northern sectors where the chief minister, most ministers and top bureaucrats reside, but he has now settled for the far-off Sector 39. “I need some place to meet party leaders and supporters whenever I am in the city. The department is carrying out repairs. It may take some time,” he said. Though Cheema and his party colleagues, including former leader of opposition Harvinder Singh Phoolka, had taken up the issue with Amarinder, the CM did not accede to the request. He told the AAP leaders that even some ministers were waiting for houses as there was shortage and none had been specifically earmarked for the leader of opposition. A sprawling government accommodation is among the privileges of those from the ruling party with lobbying and tantrums being a routine.

Sidhu compares Jakhar with Langah

Akali leader and former minister Sucha Singh Langah, who was recently acquitted in a rape case registered against him in Gurdaspur last year, is not going to like this. After handing over a memorandum to Akal Takht seeking excommunication of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal for allegedly shielding the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar and local government minister Navjot Sidhu held a joint press conference in Amritsar last week. As usual, Sidhu was in full flow. Hitting out at those who say that Jakhar being a Hindu cannot interfere in religious matters of Sikhs, Sidhu said he (Jakhar) is 100 times better Sikh than Langah. The Punjab Congress chief interrupted him, telling the minister not to compare him with Langah. Sidhu immediately said sorry to him.

AAP’s lip service ploy

Call it clever thinking or a change of strategy. Rocked by the revolt in its Punjab unit, the Aam Aadmi Party, which used to throw out the party rebels at the slightest hint of dissidence, has changed tack this time in dealing with dissenters led by Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira who have openly challenged the party leadership’s authority and are seeking “khudmukhtyari” (autonomy). AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and state unit co-president Dr Balbir Singh have repeatedly talked about resolving the differences. “We are talking to them (dissidents) to sort things out. Two-three MLAs are in touch with them,” says Cheema. But Khaira, whose removal from the post of LOP in July triggered the revolt by eight of the 20 party legislators, is still to hear from them. None of the pro-Delhi MLA or leaders has got in touch with him. The rebels have made it clear they would not settle for anything less than “autonomy” and other resolutions passed at Bathinda convention. Of course, not all their demands are acceptable to the party and, hence, the lip service ploy.

Checks on scribes’ entry

Punjab Police has put checks on “unhindered” entry of mediapersons visiting its headquarters in Chandigarh. Like other visitors, the department has now made it mandatory for reporters also to get a pass made before entering the building. Earlier, they were allowed to go in after showing their identity cards. At the entrance, a register is being maintained in which they are asked to give their particulars as well as name the officers they are visiting. All this, as per security guards at the gate, is being done on the recent orders of director general of police, security.

All for self-defence

The ugly turn of events in the Haryana assembly earlier this week – where shoes were almost hurtled at each other by experienced lawmakers Abhay Chautala and Karan Dalal – continue to escalate. After the assembly session got over, Chautala told a television channel that he would have opened fire instead of taking out the shoe in self-defence if he had a revolver. “Self defence ke liye aadmi kuch bhi kar sakta hai. Yeh to maine joota dikhaya tha. Agar us waqt mere haath mein revolver hota to shayad main goli bhi maar deta,’’ the INLD leader said. Congress MLA Dalal was quick to retort. “Agar who asli mard ki aulad hai to chala ke dikhaye goli mujh par. He is acting like a bouncer of the BJP government. I am having a workers’ meeting at Palwal on Sunday and will visit every district to expose Chautala. I challenge him to hurt me,’’ he said.

MLAs’ flair for swearwords

The recently concluded Haryana Vidhan Sabha session brought to the fore the honourable male legislators’ flair for swearwords. Their conduct on the floor of the House was no different from high school boys in the playground. Among the ministers, health minister Anil Vij’s biting remarks often caused uproar. And opposition MLAs hit back at Vij with words which were unworthy of being recorded. Once, Vij referred to INLD and Congress MLAs as “...maindko ki tarah uchlne lag jatte hain”. Congress’ Jhajjar MLA Geeta Bhukkal hit back, saying, “Aik mantri ne batmiji karne kaa vibhag sambhal rakha hai.” It was ‘batmiji’ (misconduct) that dominated the short spell of the monsoon session.

Shattering the House decorum

It has been almost four years since the BJP legislators, most of them first-timers, were sworn in as members of the Haryana assembly. However, some of them, including a cabinet minister, continue to display ignorance as far the decorum is concerned. The worst offenders are Panipat (rural) MLA Mahipal Dhanda and social justice minister Krishan Bedi who are often seen making remarks and entering into a direct war of words with the opposition benches while remaining firmly seated in their chairs. According to the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the state assembly, a member who desires to speak shall rise when he speaks and address the speaker.

Minister’s rude behaviour

Himachal food and civil supplies minister Kishan Kapoor remains in the news for wrong reasons. The other day, he drew flak after a video of him aggressively countering activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashitiya Swayamsevak Sangh, who had gone to meet him to raise some demands, went viral on social media. “Tum sobhagyashali ho ki minister iss tarah se tumhari baat sun raha hai (you are fortunate that a minister is listening to you in this manner),” Kapoor told the students, adding: “If you utter another word, I will not help”. If this was not enough, the minister was again caught on camera a day later, lashing out at media for the viral video.

Under green tribunal’s lens

The Kullu district administration has prepared a list of 740 hotels that have violated building norms. The list was prepared after the Supreme Court ordered it to demolish the illegally constructed portions of the buildings. Among these are properties owned by several politicians of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress. Irrigation and public health minister Mahender Singh Thakur also owns a hotel in Manali that was constructed in violation of building bylaws. Thakur made a quiet visit to the National Green Tribunal, giving an assurance that he will voluntarily raze the illegal portion of the building.

Now, apples in Prez retreat

Constructed in the British era back in 1850, the presidential retreat in Mashobra, 14 kilometres from Shimla, will have new varieties of apples. A team from Rashtrapati Bhawan has planned to rejuvenate the apple trees planted around the retreat. President Ram Nath Kovind had visited the retreat this summer and stayed there for five days along with his family members. The retreat is managed by the President’s office.

(Contributed by Navneet Sharma, Surjit Singh, Ravinder Vasudeva, Hitender Rao, Pawan Sharma, Gaurav Bisht, Naresh K Thakur)