BJP will form govt for third time in Haryana with big mandate: CM Saini

Chandigarh, Aug 17 (PTI) Asserting the BJP is completely ready for the Haryana Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said his party will form the government for a third time in the state with a big mandate.

The Election Commission on Friday announced that assembly polls in Haryana would be held in a single phase on October 1 and the results would be declared on October 4.

Addressing the media here after the Cabinet meeting, Saini said that he welcomed the announcement of the assembly elections in Haryana.

“We are completely ready for the elections. The BJP will form the government for a third time in Haryana with a big mandate,” he added.

Notably, the Cabinet meeting had been scheduled before the announcement of the state assembly elections by the Election Commission.

Saini said the BJP government in Haryana undertook overall development in the state without any bias.

In the last 10 years, Haryana scaled new heights in terms of development in each sector, he claimed.

Targeting the opposition Congress, Saini asked that it would be better to give details about their works done during its regime to the people of the state rather than “speaking lies”.

“What have they done? They (opposition) are spreading lies,” he alleged.

The chief minister urged the people of Haryana to teach the Congress a lesson for its “lies”.

Saini also appealed to the voters of Haryana to participate in the festival of democracy in a big way.

Responding to a question on wrestler Vinesh Phogat, Saini said that he welcomed her upon her arrival to India.

“She is our daughter and we are proud of her,” he said.

Phogat on Saturday received a grand welcome on her return to the country with hundreds of supporters gathering outside Delhi’s IGI airport, showing immense solidarity with her.

Phogat faced a heartbreaking exit at the Paris Olympics where she was disqualified for being overweight on the day of her 50kg final.

Meanwhile, speaking about the Cabinet meeting, which he chaired here, Saini said the Cabinet has accepted the report of the Haryana Scheduled Caste Commission as he referred to the recent decision of the Supreme Court regarding classification of reservation for SC in jobs.

On August 1, the Supreme Court had held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward.

Saini said the report of the state SC commission will be sent to the Election Commission as the model code of conduct has come into force.

Speaking about the state SC commission, Saini said the commission analysed that the representation of the ‘vanchit’ (deprived) SC in government service was inadequate.

He said that the other scheduled castes comprise Chamars, Rahgar, Raigar, Ravidassi, Ramdassi, Mochi and others while the deprived SC include Balmiki, Dhanak, Baazigar, Mazhabi and Mazhabi Sikh.

Saini said there is a 20 per cent quota for SC in the direct recruitment of the government jobs in Haryana.

The SC commission recommended that 50 per cent of the quota meant for the SC community, which works out at 10 per cent, should be reserved for deprived SC.

In case a suitable candidate is not available from the deprived SC, then a post can be filled from other scheduled castes, he said.

There will not be change in the 20 per cent quota for the SC, he asserted.

Referring to his government’s recent decision of ensuring job security for 1.20 lakh contractual employees until the age of superannuation, Saini said the higher education extension lecturers, guest faculty of engineering and polytechnic colleges should also be covered.

Their case has been sent to the Election Commission for its approval, said Saini.

He further said a committee under the chairmanship of the chief secretary has been formed for NHM work education instructors, computers teacher professionals, workers employed in the Haryana Aids Control Society and public health department, who could not be covered under the government’s decision of ensuring job security till the age of retirement.

This committee will submit its report to the Election Commission, he said.

Saini further said an ordinance has been brought aimed to check gambling, betting on matches, match fixing and any other kind of betting. It has a provision for seven-year-imprisonment and a fine of Rs 7 lakh.