Haryana Speakers decision 'unconstitutional', Bhajan Lal

Hisar, Mar 23 (UNI) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal today assailed the action of state assembly Speaker Raghubir Kadian in disqualifying his close associates, Dharam Pal Malik and Rakesh Kamboj from the Vidhan Sabha and described the decision as "unconstitutional and unfortunat".

" This is sheer Lok Dal culture", he said in a statement here today while pointing out that the " same treatment was going to be extended" to him tomorrow.

" Politics is peoples' service for me and I have given priority to the welfare of the state over other issues" Mr Lal, patron of the Haryana Janhit Congress, launched by his son Kuldip Bishnoi in December last year, said in a statement heere.

" This is the reason , despite ups and downs, I am getting support of the masses," he claimed.

Digging up the past, Mr Lal said that he had resigned from chief ministership on June 1, 1986 when the interests of the state were ignored in the Rajiv-Longowal agreement. For maintaining peace during terrorism he was on the hit list of the extremists, he said while pointing out that he had always kept the interests of the state and its people uppermost in his mind.

He further said that his priority now was to bring water in Haryana through the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

" In my entire life I have served the Congress party which was voice of the common man. But after 1996 this party faced decay in the state but again under my leadership the party won the majority in the last polls", he claimed while lashing out at the Congress high command for ignoring him.

Kuldeep Bishnoi could not tolerate the exploitation of the people and he launched struggle against the injustice, he said without elaborating.

UNI XC HS BK1816