Fissures in govt over compensation

Fissures in the Haryana government appeared surfaced on Monday with Health Minister Anil Vij threatening to resign over the issue of compensation to those killed in the Jat agitation.

Vij reported locked horns with some other Jat ministers during the state Cabinet meeting.
He had sought compensation for all those who had lost their earnings of a lifetime after their properties were burnt by Jat protesters in Rohtak, Hisar, Jind, Sonipat, Kaithal and other places. The minister was upset that Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar had tweeted in the afternoon that Rs 10 lakh would be given to those killed along with a government job to one family member.

The government release later also said that those “innocents” killed in the violence will be given compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

Vij, it is learnt, also pointed out those killed could have been involved in rioting and they could be questions raised over giving them compensation. The decisions to this effect were taken in a meeting of the state cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

It was decided that a senior IAS officer shall be deputed as a nodal officer to assess the damage caused to private properties in both urban and rural areas, it said. The government wants to play safe as the demand for compensation may trigger another round of agitation that could turn violent.

Sources said, Vij and Chief Minister M L Khattar later discussed the issue, following which Vij appeared pacified.

The government has ordered an assessment of the losses of private individuals, including those whose properties were burnt during the agitation.