Congress legislator Ashok Arora launched a sharp critique against the Haryana government on Tuesday, accusing it of maintaining a deliberate silence on crucial public matters. The Thanesar MLA specifically demanded urgent clarity on Haryana's official status concerning the shared capital, Chandigarh.
Demanding Answers on Chandigarh and a New Capital
Addressing a press conference in Kurukshetra, Ashok Arora stated that the state government must explicitly explain Haryana's rights in Chandigarh. This demand comes in the wake of the central government not approving a proposal to construct a new Haryana Vidhan Sabha building in the city.
Arora emphasized that during the bifurcation of Punjab and Haryana, a 40% share of Chandigarh was allocated to Haryana. "In such a situation, the government must clearly state what Haryana's status is in Chandigarh. However, the BJP-led state government has maintained a studied silence," he asserted. The MLA was accompanied by councillors Manu Jain, Chandgi Ram, Subhash Mirzapur, and others.
Furthermore, Arora reiterated his longstanding demand to declare the historic city of Kurukshetra as the capital of Haryana. He argued that the time was ripe for the state to have a new capital and that Kurukshetra was the most suitable location due to its profound historical, cultural, and geographical significance.
Infrastructure and Road Safety Concerns Highlighted
The MLA detailed several unaddressed infrastructure issues affecting his constituency. He pointed out that announcements regarding the construction of a Kurukshetra bypass have been made repeatedly over the past decade, with no tangible progress on the ground.
During the recently concluded winter session of the Haryana Assembly, Arora said he also raised the issue of building a ring road for Kurukshetra but received no response from the government. He strongly demanded the four-laning of the Kurukshetra–Dhand–Kaithal road, citing heavy traffic and frequent accidents on the stretch. He explained that this road connects Kurukshetra with National Highways 152 and 152D, and its upgrade would significantly improve safety.
Pressing for Job Security and Community Inclusion
Ashok Arora also brought attention to employment concerns at Kurukshetra University. He demanded job guarantees for both teaching and non-teaching staff, with a special focus on mess employees. He revealed that these employees, some of whom have served the university for 40 years or more, are still paid a meager salary of only ₹11,000 per month. "These employees deserve job security and fair wages," he stated.
Additionally, the MLA said he raised the demand to include the Rai community of Haryana in the backward class category. He noted that this community, residing in villages like Mundakhera, Jyotisar, and Hariapur, is already classified as backward in neighbouring states like Punjab and Rajasthan. "They should also be included in the backward category in Haryana so that they can benefit from government welfare schemes," Arora argued.
The Congress leader expressed disappointment that none of the attention motions he moved in the Assembly regarding Kurukshetra's myriad problems were accepted for discussion, highlighting a gap between public representation and governmental response.
