Haryana MLAs to donate first salary to J-K flood relief

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday asked the newly elected members of Legislative Assembly of the state to donate their first salary towards the Jammu and Kashmir flood relief fund.

While paying tributes to those who lost their lives in the floods in September this year, Khattar said that the MLAs must donate their complete salary after keeping Re 1 with them. His proposal was accepted by members of all parties in the 90-member state assembly.

Khattar also paid tributes to others who died since the last session in February this year.

These included two former MLAs Jaipal Singh Arya and Ramji Lal, freedom fighters and martyrs of Haryana. The six freedom fighters included Shyam Singh of village Brara, Ambala, Ajmer Singh of village Kheri Dabdalan, Kurukshetra and Harnath of village Badrai, district Bhiwani.

Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress) and Abhay Chautala (Indian National Lok Dal) also paid their tributes.

The House also paid homage to 18 martyrs of Haryana who sacrificed their lives while safeguarding and protecting the unity and integrity of the country. They included Captain Nimit Arya of Yamunanagar, Naib Subedar Rohtash Yadav of Mahendragarh, Junior Warrant Officer Ajay Sharma of Bhiwani, Havildar Suresh Kumar of Mahendragarh and Havildar Surender Singh of Jhajjar.

Image: Relief material is distributed among Kashmiri locals. Photograph: PTI photo