Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced in the Vidhan Sabha that if Shamlat Deh land from any village in the State has been transferred to the Waqf Board, a thorough investigation of the same will be conducted. A committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Rohtak Divisional Commissioner to investigate the Peer Bodhi issue, located on the Rohtak-Gohana road.  Karnal Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Rohtak also serve as members of the committee. The committee will meticulously examine all relevant facts and records associated with this issue.

Earlier, on Wednesday during Zero Hour, senior Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Batra alleged that the mafia was trying to take illegal possession of the government land at the Peer Bodhi Reservoir in Rohtak. According to him, at present, the land is being filled with soil and plots will soon be carved out illegally there. The Peer Bodhi land is the city’s heritage, hence the state government must take immediate action to remove the encroachments from there and take control of the land to prevent further unlawful activities.

He also criticised the Waqf Board, which was responsible for taking care of the land, for not taking any action against the mafia.

The Chief Minister said that the transfer of Shamlat Deh land to the Waqf Board is a very serious matter. He also raised questions about the forces and individuals responsible for the transfer of land and how it was carried out. After a long legal process, the land, in 2024, is now under the management of the Waqf Board and is being leased out.

Saini also assured that the state government is committed to the conservation of Johar, ponds, and reservoirs. To facilitate this, the state government amended the Haryana Gram Shamlat Land (Regulation) Act 2024, granting ownership rights to individuals living in houses up to 500 yards on Shamlat Deh land. However, it was stipulated that no houses can be built on land where there is a Johar, pond, or reservoir. The government has been dedicated to preserving these natural resources.

Uproar in Assembly over BJP MLA’s corruption allegations against Minister

 Pandemonium prevailed in the Haryana Assembly as the Congress launched a blistering attack on the BJP over allegations of corruption levelled by a ruling party MLA against a Minister during Tuesday’s proceedings.

The ruckus erupted soon after Question Hour, with the opposition demanding a House committee probe into the matter. The controversy stemmed from a spat between BJP MLAs Ram Kumar Gautam and Arvind Sharma, who is also the State Tourism Minister, during a discussion on Governor Bandaru Dattatraya’s address on Tuesday. The exchange was deemed unfit for the House and Speaker Harvinder Kalyan expunged the remarks.

On Wednesday, the Congress raked up the argument, claiming that the issue could not be ignored simply because it was erased from official proceedings. Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Arora led the charge, asserting that a ruling party legislator making corruption allegations against a minister was a grave issue that warranted an investigation. “The ruling party MLA has levelled corruption allegations against the minister,” he said, pressing for a House committee to probe the claims. Despite repeated appeals, the Congress remained adamant, with more MLAs joining the demand for an inquiry. With tempers flaring, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda stepped in, demanding that the House should formally condemn the incident. He called on the government to introduce a resolution on the matter and clarify its position. “What action will the government take?” he asked pointedly.

Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mahipal Dhanda, however, attempted to downplay the matter, calling the spat between the BJP legislators “unfortunate and in very bad taste”. He said unless there was a complaint in writing, no inquiry could be considered. “The words used were inappropriate, but if there is anything given in writing, the matter can be looked into,” Dhanda said, rejecting the Congress demand for a probe.

The Speaker intervened, emphasising that the words used during the altercation were unacceptable. “This type of wording is not expected from anyone. Not acceptable,” he said, adding since the remarks were expunged, the matter should be considered closed.

Congress members walked out of the House, raising slogans. However, just two minutes later, they returned to participate in Zero Hour, marking an end to the confrontation.

 It should be mentioned here that a debate on the Governor's address on Tuesday took an unusual turn when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers and MLAs clashed over the famed Jalebis of Gohana.

Tourism Minister and Gohana MLA Arvind Sharma repeatedly praised the Jalebis while celebrating BJP's electoral victories. However, BJP MLA from Safido, Ramkumar Gautam, interrupted, claiming that Gohana's Jalebis have lost their charm, with 99% now being made with fake ghee instead of desi ghee.