GURUGRAM: Even as he declared that BJP would retain Nayab Singh Saini as CM if it gets a third term in Haryana, Union home minister Amit Shah sought to put a spoke in Congress’s efforts to put a lid on the rift between Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his factional rival Selja by accusing the former Haryana CM of having an anti-Dalit mindset.
“Don’t get tired as you have to work as CM of Haryana for another five years,” Shah told Saini, his remarks at a large public rally at grain market at Barara in Ambala consolidating the prominence of Saini who was dramatically catapulted into the CM’s office because of party’s recognition of the fatigue with his predecessor, Manohar Lal Khattar .
In his rally, Shah played up the the differences between Hooda and his in-house Dalit challenger, Selja who is widely perceived to be unhappy over having been marginalised in the distribution of tickets. A day after Congress got Hooda and Selja to appear together at a rally addressed by Rahul Gandhi, Shah seized upon the footage of her conversation with a journo that shone the spotlight on the simmering feud. Asked about whether she would campaign for the candidates belonging to the rival faction, Selja bluntly says she was not going to be invited.
Referring to the statement, Shah said that the clip was emblematic of Hooda’s anti-Dalit mindset.
“Dalit brothers of Haryana have not forgotten the Dohana incident and Nijpur incident. Recently, a journalist asked Selja Ji whether she would go to campaign for Hooda. She answered by saying that although she wants to do that, Hooda will not invite her. Hooda still has the mindset. He fears that he will lose an election if a Dalit woman campaigns for him. But we have given a nomination to our Dalit sister,” he said at a rally in Ladwa assembly constituency. Hooda and Selja had shared dias, for the first time on Thursday, during a Rahul rally.
Reiterating the party’s commitment made in its manifesto, Shah promised govt jobs with pension to Haryana youths joining armed forces through Agniveer scheme. “Join the forces with passion. Haryana and the Indian govt will give jobs with pension to all the Agniveers of Haryana,” the home minister said, asserting “Pakki pension wali sarkari naukri (govt jobs with pension)”.
In Rewari, which has had strong links with the Army, Shah praised mothers for raising their children with sacrifice and valour to protect the country’s borders. “During Congress govts in Haryana, the jobs were given to youth with kharchi and parchi (corruption or recommendation). BJP gave jobs without any kharchi and parchi,” he said.