Will have zero tolerance for corruption: Haryana CM Khattar

New York, Aug 18: Asserting that his government is committed to "zero tolerance" towards corruption, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said inquiries will be set up to look into allegations of graft and the law will take its own course against those found guilty.

"Now the time has come that all the corrupt practices that were being followed in the past, we will issue notices and conduct inquires into them. Who so ever will be found guilty, the law and order will take its own course (against them)," Khattar told PTI here on Monday.

Khattar, who began his 10-day visit to the US and Canada on the weekend, said his government is committed to ensuring that there is "an atmosphere of zero tolerance for corruption". He stressed that after his government came into power in the state in October last year, it was focussed on sending a "positive" signal about growth and economic development.

He said he also sent a strong signal to officials and leaders in his government that corruption will not be tolerated.

"We are working to ensure that our governance is corruption-free. (Our message is clear) that if we find any corrupt official, we will take action against them," he said adding that a strong and honest leadership, be it at the Central level or state level, will inspire others to be honest and fight against corruption.

The Chief Minister has said in the past that the law will take its own course on the land deals and corruption cases and other alleged land scams during the previous Congress government in the state.

With a view to ensuring ease of doing business and weeding out corruption, Khattar said his government is brining in automation and digitisation to lessen human interface so that there are no discretionary powers and no scope for corruption. "The previous government could also have done this but they didn't do because they had other motives. We don't have any such motives," he added.

Khattar also visited the UN headquarters along with his delegation

Among the deals being probed for corruption in the state are the land deals involving businessman Robert Vadra's company. Khattar will visit Washington today and hold discussions with leaders of the US-India Business Council.

He is leading a 19-member strong delegation comprising leading business organisations of Haryana and state officials and will go on to visit San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto during his trip till August 24.

Khattar had visited the UN headquarters along with his delegation in the city earlier yesterday where he underscored the importance of democratic values for ensuring peace and security in the world.

Later, Khattar was honoured at a reception hosted for him by the diaspora and BJP supporters in the city. He invited the diaspora to invest in various sectors, calling on them to contribute in the economic development and progress of not only their adopted country, the US, but also their homeland and native states.

PTI