http://www.merinews.com/article/selja-hooda-rift-increasing-tension-between-dalits-and-jats/15819586.shtml
Selja-Hooda rift increasing tension between Dalits and Jats
Pawan Kumar Bansal
Fri, Jun 04, 2010 17:00:47 IST
THE ONGOING tussle between Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh
Hooda and his detractors within the party led by Union Tourism
minister Kumari Selja is leading towards hostility between dalits and
Jats.Shelija, who is being projected by the party high command as
dalit icon of the party to face the challenge posed by U.P.Chief
Minister Mayawati is using the same credit to discredit the Haryana
government headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the eyes of party high
command apparently keeping an eye on the chair of haryana chief
minister.
The Mirchpur incident in which one aged person and his disabled
daughter belonging to dalit community were burnt to death by the Jats
has come as god send opportunity in the hands of Selja to prove that
Hooda has failed to protect the lives of dalits in the state, an
impression which Congress party cannot afford in view of the day by
day growing influence of Mayawati among the dalits .
Right thinking persons of the state feel that it is high time that
congress high command checks both Hooda and Selja and ask them firmly
to put united face to meet this challenge which has wider social
ramifications other than the law and order problem.
She has created big embarrassment for the Hooda government by assuring
the victims during her visit to the spot that she will talk to the
authorities regarding their demand for allotting them plots at Hisar
in place of Mirchpur where they are not safe fearing threats from the
powerful jat community.
There are no permanent friends and enemies in politics, says an old
proverb. This holds true while describing the political relations of
Selja and Bhupinder Singh Hooda. After the last assembly polls when
Hooda was facing challenge from Bhajan Lal for the post of chief
minister, Selja at that time had sided with Hooda.
Earlier during the Lok Sabha polls, it was Hooda who had asked his
friend at Ambala to arrange accommodation for opening election office
of Selja who was given party ticket from Ambala reserved constituency
in 2004 elections.
Shelija has deserted her old constituency, Sirsa reserved constituency
fearing sabotage by Bhajan Lal whose comunity bishnoi has seizable
number of votes.So close were Selja and Hooda that the marriage of
Anjali , daughter of Bhupinder Singh Hooda was solemnised at the
official residence of kumari Selja in New-Delhi.
After Hooda took over as chief ministership of the state their
relations continued for sometime but soon cracks started developing as
Shelija was demanding her share from the spoil system. Hooda has
accommodated Dr.K.V.Singh as his officer on special duty on the
recommendation of Shelija.
Not only this several tainted officers were given prize postings on
her recommendations. It is another matter that a shrewd K.V.Singh
switched loyalty to Hooda. Moreover growing influence and interference
of Vinod Sharma in Ambala district, which is part of Shelija's
constituency and Hooda's tilt towards Sharma also led to further
straining the relations between Shelija and Hooda.
Of late things have reached to such a passe that shelija is using
Mirchpur incident to settle score with Hooda. To add salt to her
injury, Hooda has projected Education and Health minister Geeta Bhukal
belonging to dalit community to check Selja.
It was Bhukal who has publically criticised Selja for her demand of
allotting of land to Mirchpur victims at Hisar. Hooda has deputed her
to brief congress partyt chief Sonia Gandhi regarding steps taken by
the state government after the mirchpur incident which has created
embarrassment for Hooda as Rahul gandhi paid a surprise visit to met
the families of victims.
He even invited dalit legislators at delhi to hear their viewpoint
about the incident and about the functioning of Hooda government.
Selja entered the politics after the death of her father Dalbir Singh,
a gentleman, who had been active in politics during his life time and
was member of parliament and union minister.
Due to the family background, sympathy factor, dalit face, this
educated girl with the help of state leaders specially Bhajan Lal
contested the Lok sabha election held in 1991 from Sirsa (SC )seat and
became the minister of state in the central government .
She became ambitious but her graph of popularity lowered down upto the
extent that she was deserted by the voters and leaders of Sirsa
parliamentary seat . She had not contested election of 1999.
Summing up the situation Dr. Ramesh Kumar Maddan , political analyst
said that such type of situation had developed- as she had no mass
base.. Secondly she won the election twice due to the support of
Bhajan Lal, a leader of that area having sizeable number of his
community followers?
Bishnois as well as the ideological committed voters of the Congress.
On the advice of the leaders close to the state and party high command
. Selja was shifted to Ambala (SC ) parliamentary seat. She won the
seat with a huge margin and became the minister in the central
government.
The reasons for the victory can be attributed as. B.S. Hooda asked his
friends belonging to different caste /communities including Vinod
Sharma and Nirmal Singh to vote, support and elect her.
Akhil Bakshi .Ex-OSD to P.V. Narasimha Rao played a prominent role to
persuade his friend Nirmal Singh a mass base leader of this area to
support her and moreover next assembly elections were due in 2005 and
there was strong wave against INLD-- government in the state. The
probable party candidates for the vidhan sabha segments falling under
the constituency from all the nine assembly segments supported
Congress candidate wholehearted.
But her troubles did not end as she was not well aware about the
constituency and there was a strong opposition from the dalit
community leaders of the area and factionalism was also prevailing in
the state politics.
Congress High command gave the responsibility to Dr. Janardhan
Dwivedi, who played a significant role in a systematic and strategic
mannner with the help of party activists and prevailed upon them to
work for the party candidate .After getting elected, she has stopped
bothering for the people of this area. She was surrounded by a coterie
ignoring loyal workers.
It was being brought to the High command that she is creating
factionalism in the name of being a woman and a dalit. But the
leadership remained silent due to the increasing influence of BSP
leader Mayawati.
During the election of 2009 Lok sabha election,Selja was aware through
government agencies and NGOs that she had lost her vote bank upto
great extent . She tried her level best to change the constituency in
U.P.or remain aloof from election but in vain.
Congress High Command persuaded B.S. Hooda and Selja also requested
Hooda calling him brother and reminding close relations of her father
Dalbir Singh with Ch.Ranbir Singh.
BS Hooda with the help of the administration and party activist of the
state of different communities came to her rescue in the last two days
and public meetings were organised. B.S Hooda and other opponents of
Selja also persuaded the voters to cast their votes in the name of
Congress Party.
In addition to this a large number of sikh voters supported her due to
Dr Manmohan Singh .The result of 2009 vidhan sabha clearly depict the
picture that seven SC members elected on the Congress ticket had won
due to factors other then Selja.
It is in the interest of Congress party and the social harmony of the
state that party high command should stop Selja to twist the arms of
Hooda as well as tell Hooda in clear terms that his soft attitude
towards the bureaucracy will not be tolerated and he should clean the
police force from criminal elements as any collapse of the law and
order in the state directly affects the national security as Delhi is
surrounded by Haryana from three sides. Instead of listening to the
caucus he should get direct feedback from the people of the state.
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