Dushyant Chautala: ‘Haryana has seen (communal tension) like this for the first time. It is a serious concern’

Liz Mathew: How is the alliance now? We have heard reports that the JJP is upset with the BJP and there was talk of the BJP mobilising support in case you part ways.

These are all perceptions. Every party in the NDA will always try to work in each constituency where they feel they will contest elections. But when an alliance goes in, compromises have to be made — seat sharing and what number you share and how you move forward.

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala during the Idea Exchange at Noida office on Tuesday. Express photo by Renuka Puri

This Shobha Yatra was not done for the first time… But some elements of society that wanted to create this scenario were successful. We have earmarked those people, arrests have been done and strict action will be taken

Liz Mathew: Do you expect the BJP to give you an upper hand when it comes to the Assembly election?

It’s up to the cadre — how hard they work and how many seats they win. Saying we’ll get the upper hand today or tomorrow is the last thing a politician should think because I have seen a time when Chaudhary Devi Lal was the larger partner and the BJP was the minor partner. Today, we are a minor partner, they are a major partner. It’s not a fixed ratio.

Liz Mathew: Do you have plans to expand beyond Haryana?

Yes. We have our organisation in five states. We have already prepared approximately 30 seats for Rajasthan. Recently, I met multiple ex-ministers, ex-MPs and some young bloods who are looking to contest elections in the future. We have organisations in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh. In Delhi, we were prepared to contest two seats but then we took a call as the NDA, where we did not contest because it was right after the Haryana elections and there was also COVID.

Varinder Bhatia: The Akali Dal snapped their ties with the BJP after the farmers’ agitation. You also come from a farming background and I believe there was talk within your party to snap ties with the BJP. Why didn’t you?

Did it help the Akali Dal? I don’t think so. That agitation was planned on specific views. Haryana has the best marketing board system in the country. We do the largest number of crop procurements on MSP (Minimum Support Price). Where we cannot provide MSP for a couple of crops, we give at least bhavantar bharpayee (differential compensation). Our system of payment for the produce of farmers is the fastest in the country. We pay our farmers in less than 48 hours. We pay our labourers in less than 30 days. Our supply of food grains to the Government of India has always been appreciated by the Central government. So, it was misguiding to state that the agitation was only to finish the Mandi System for farmers. I don’t know about Akali Dal, but we supported farmers from day one to the last day of that agitation. It was a Central government issue, not a state issue.

Vandita Mishra: Could you tell us about what’s happening in Nuh? What is the reason for the communal tension there and what is the administration doing?

I feel that the management was not at its best. The Superintendent of Police was on leave due to some family issues and the additional charge was given to a superintendent of a neighbouring district who could not assess the situation in a better manner. The situation is in control.

Vandita Mishra: You’ve imposed an internet ban in areas of Nuh. From Manipur, for instance, one has heard conflicting reports about the efficacy of such a ban. In fact, many people also say that rumours can spread faster when Internet bans happen.

I agree with you because rumours can go from your mouth through audio calls, through a video and through other sources also. Mewat has seen such an issue for the first time. This Shobha Yatra was not done for the first time; it’s the fourth year. But some elements of society that wanted to create this scenario were successful. We have earmarked those people, arrests have been made and strict action will be taken.

Liz Mathew: There are certain BJP leaders who make controversial statements. Do you talk to your partner to restrain these leaders or organisations from making such comments?

This issue of Mewat was not triggered by a leader. This was on an issue where the Gau Raksha Dal moved in and two people were killed in Bhiwani. Those people have been arrested and the court is taking the case forward. This issue was triggered after that incident. We have also made committees at the district level, with 11 people who will sit together and talk to everybody in the society.

Manoj CG: As a young leader with a progressive outlook, do you worry over the rising communal tension in Haryana and the rise in cow vigilantism?

Haryana has seen something like this for the first time. We are a state which has a good Muslim population from Yamunagar to Mewat. They have been living here for a long time and have worked with Hindu kings in the past also. But seeing this issue, yes, it is a serious concern. We have never seen communal thought processes and they have been built up over a period.

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala during the Idea Exchange at Noida office on Tuesday. Express photo by Renuka Puri

Manoj CG: Have you ever raised this with the CM?

We have had multiple discussions on these issues. The government has not let go of those leaders who try to ignite fire between communities. We have arrested a majority of them and have taken strict action. But, yes, there are people from the region of Rajasthan who come in. They have good mobility through Jhirka and Tauru. I think these issues are flaring up because of continuous tension, which has been spilling over from our borders, from UP and Rajasthan.

A roller coaster is always good for a politician because it teaches you a lot. I think in these crises — the farmers’ agitation, wrestlers’ agitation and other smaller agitations around the state — we controlled the situation and resolved the issues

Mallica Joshi: How are you planning to tackle the issue of cow vigilantism? It is being said that a video by Monu Manesar, released a couple of days ago, also led to worsening of the situation.

Majority of the people who say they are gau rakshaks don’t even have cows in their houses. This is a serious concern. We need to focus on who becomes the leader of such a thing. A person’s name has been earmarked by the police and who has,

I think, put fuel to the fire. We will take strictest action against him.

Liz Mathew: Do you think you can raise these issues in the NDA meetings before the Prime Minister and the Home Minister?

We keep doing that. Haryana has never faced an issue like this. We need to put up forces and get better technologies to monitor these things.

Harikishan Sharma: When you fought elections in 2019, the incumbent BJP saw a decline in its vote share and number of seats, and the Opposition parties, including yours, saw a rise. In the last five years there have been several agitations and anti-incumbency has been building up. Will that also impact prospects for your party?

We fought alone, and people voted. We have achieved some of our goals, including introducing 50 per cent reservation for women in the Panchayats, putting a law which enacts 75 per cent reservation for local candidates. The excise revenue of the state has gone from Rs 6,100 to 10,200 crore, revenue from the revenue department has increased from Rs 6,000 to 10,400 crore. My revenue from GST has been the highest in the country, with 22 per cent growth. When you are in the government, some issues bounce back and new issues crop up but we will have to fight those.

Shahid Pervez: At his Hisar rally, Amit Shah declared that the BJP will contest all 10 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. You have said that JJP will also contest all 10 seats. This sounds ominous for your alliance. BJP’s Haryana in-charge Biplab Deb has declared a BJP candidate in your constituency.

Didn’t I fight against her last time? I fought against her and won by 48,000 votes. Her son fought against me in Hisar and he won by 3,10,000 votes. Who knows what will happen in 2024? Today, both parties are preparing themselves and the cadres are working hard. But, yes, an alliance is always a compromise and once alliances are done, there is seat-sharing. I think the NDA will discuss the core part and seat-sharing will be done accordingly.

Aakash Joshi: The wrestlers’ protest was a Delhi issue and Central government issue, but it had a lot of resonance in Haryana. What do you think about the BJP, your ally,  seemingly standing with Brij Bhushan for a long time?

I was president of the Federation for two terms. Federations work in a very organised manner after the sports code and the Supreme Court ruling. The issue of harassment of girls should be looked into by the police, not the Centre or State government. Delhi police investigated and asked different countries and Olympic associations to share videography of those events. A chargesheet has been filed and the court has to decide based on the charges and evidence.

As far as the dharna is concerned, earlier these players had demanded that the sports ministry should look into the issue, and the ministry in consultation with the athletes constituted a committee to investigate the charges. Suddenly, the dharna revived and they said a police investigation was required. If they demanded registration of FIR on the first day, it wouldn’t have prolonged.

Jatin Anand: How do you see the Aam Aadmi Party as a contender in Haryana?

It’s too early for AAP in the state. They were my allies in the Lok Sabha elections and the highest votes they got was in Faridabad — 28,000. After that, they got good results in Punjab but the thrust they applied in Himachal Pradesh and the results they got are totally opposite. Being a very active political state and closer to the national capital, Haryana has its own benefits.

Liz Mathew: BJP has been focusing on farmers and women, but there seems to be some resentment among these two groups now. What is your government doing to placate them?

We have the best support system for farmers in the country. We are also taking additional measures. Now farmers can report crop loss through a portal called Shati Poorti, where you can upload a photograph of your farm and within seven days someone will come to verify and you will be compensated for crop loss. In the last season, we distributed more than Rs 177 crore throughout the state to more than 67,000 farmers, in less than 30 days. I have recommended the Government of India for the disaster department to introduce it across the country.

Farmers have begun to understand how we have made it easier for them to interact, and organise their crops. We have seen 20,000 acres of land being converted from a paddy growing belt, which requires a lot of water, into a non-paddy-based alternative crop. I have also written to the Home Minister and Defence Minister to permit us to support the ‘Year of Millets’ by providing bajra to our Central forces. We are the only state to support bajra on MSP for five years now.

For women, we have made multiple decisions. We have been successful in giving them 50 per cent leadership in panchayats. We also have the largest number of self-help groups, and have made an economy for our women to start working in an organised manner. We have an organised system where someone with a family income less than our BPL line, which is Rs 1.8 lakh per annum, will be given a job opportunity in the state. We have more than 600 services which are readily available on a CHC (Community Health Centre) system. We implemented our objective of giving one out of three ration depots to a woman. Out of 3,600 ration depots that were empty, 2,300 ration depots will be given to women in the next 30 days.

Varinder Bhatia: What was the logic behind amending the excise policy and allowing bars to stay open?

We are the only state in India to allow events, bars and restaurants to be open for 24 hours. Corporates that have a building size of one lakh square foot can also apply for a licence for a bar. I amended the minimum age for drinking from 25 to 21 because majority of the police FIRs for underage drinking were for people aged 23 and 24, and we also had more crimes happening when places were shut at 11 as compared to now. It won’t stop people from going in the wrong direction, but at least they will have a good environment to stay in and the crime rate will drop. I remember Aaditya Thackeray saying that he would do this when he became a minister in Maharashtra, but he could not.

Manoj CG: What is your view on the Central government introducing a bill that snatches away the rights of an elected government next door to you, your former ally?

Delhi should demand full statehood, then demand for these minor rights. The PM is working towards cooperative federalism — earlier, budgets were announced via departments and states did not get a good chunk of money. Today, approximately 48 per cent of the money is going to states and the rest is distributed by the union into various schemes.