Congress raises a hue and cry whenever govt takes any major decision: Khattar
Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress over its criticism of the recent farm sector laws and said the opposition party raises a hue and cry whenever the government takes any major decision.
On the occasion of completion of one year of the BJP-JJP coalition in office, Khattar and his Deputy Dushyant Chautala said the ruling combine is committed to taking the state on a higher growth trajectory.
Speaking at a state-level event in Hisar to mark the occasion, the chief minister said they provided "corruption-free, transparent and an accountable government to the people of the state".
Over the next four years the government is committed to taking the state "on a higher growth trajectory", Khattar told reporters at Hisar.
He also said the Congress is "misleading" farmers by telling them that the new laws will "ruin" them, lead to the dismantling of mandis and the minimum support price (MSP) system, and will help big corporate houses "exploit" them.
"Chaudhary Devi Lal used to say it is difficult sometimes to make farmers understand, but easy to mislead them," Khattar said referring to his deputy Chautala's great grandfather and former deputy prime minister.
The Congress is repeatedly spreading "lies" and is in the habit of raising a hue and cry whenever the government takes any major decision, be it the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution or the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, he said.
In his address to the gathering, Dushyant Chautala, a JJP leader, said, "A year ago, the opposition used to say this government will not complete three months, then they used to say it will fall after six months, but now we have completed one year. "
"Over the next four years, our government will take Haryana on a higher growth trajectory. "
Khattar said during the first term of the BJP-led government in the state and now during the past one year of the coalition government jobs have been given on merit.
"We will give 1 lakh jobs in five years. During the past year, we have already given 10,000 jobs," he said, adding that the government is committed to reserving 75 percent jobs in the private industry for Haryana youths.
The chief minister took a dig at the Congress, saying only father-son (former chief minister B S Hooda and his MP-son Deepender Hooda) were campaigning for party candidate Induraj Narwal in Baroda.
"No other Congress leader is ready to go there," he said, adding that the opposition party knows their candidate will meet the same fate as seen in the Jind bypolls in January 2019.
"The Congress had fielded a big leader in Jind (Randeep Singh Surjewala), but he had to face a humiliating defeat. He not only lost in Jind, but in the 2019 assembly polls he lost his Kaithal seat too and now is campaigning in Bihar," Khattar said.
"Whenever any major decision is taken by our government, they create a hue and cry," he said.
The Congress created a hue and cry when Article 370 was scrapped and claimed that it would lead to a bloodbath in the Kashmir Valley. "Has anything happened in Kashmir for one year?" he asked.
He said that on the Ram temple issue too, the Congress raised a hue and cry and said that riots will break out in the country. On the Citizenship Amendment Act also, they made a lot of noise, the chief minister said.
"When the Congress-led UPA was in power they did not dare to act against Pakistan for their misadventures for the fear that they were a nuclear weapon armed nation, but it was the Modi government which dared to carry out a surgical strike, air strike to teach them a lesson," Khattar said.
"After 1962, the Congress did not have the courage to raise voice against China, but China today finds itself isolated in the world and the entire world is supporting us...," he said.
He also said despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Haryana was comparatively better off than many other states.
With the state government laying a lot of emphasis on digitalization, he said this had helped during the pandemic situation to extend relief to various sections who were adversely hit.
He also condemned the burning of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's effigies on the occasion of Dussehra by some farmer leaders in Haryana and asked should a "Ram bhakt" PM be equated with the demon king Ravana.
Khattar, who had also tested positive for COVID-19 in August and later recovered from it, appealed to people not to lower their guard even if the recovery rate was quite high.
On the Baroda bypolls on November 3, which were necessitated due to the demise of Congress MLA Shri Krishan Hooda in April, he said wrestler-turned-politician Yogeshwar Dutt, a JJP-backed BJP candidate, will win comfortably.
Earlier, Khattar, along with his deputy, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the extension of Hisar airport runway from 1,200 meters to 3,000 meters at a cost of Rs 165 crore.
He said the development of the Integrated Aviation Hub at Hisar is a mega project of the state government to elevate one of its oldest airstrips as an airport of international standards.
Khattar took oath as Haryana chief minister for the second time on October 27 last year with JJP leader Dushyant Chautala as his deputy.
The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), which won 10 seats in the 90-member Assembly after last year's elections in the state, had extended support to the BJP which fell short of the majority winning 40 seats.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
