NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VIJ, CAPT ABHIMANYU: KHATTAR

CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday held that there were no differences between finance minister Capt Abhimanyu and health and sports minister Anil Vij on the issue of inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds in the purchases of the Moti Lal Nehru Sports School, Rai, in Sonepat district.

Interacting with mediapersons a day after his return from Singapore and Hong Kong, where he had gone to invite investments, Khattar said, “Ek bade pariwar mein aise chhoti chhoti baten ho jatin hain, isme kuchh bhi nahi hai (issues of minor differences are a commonplace in big families). He added that he had talked to Vij and Capt Abhimanyu and there were no differences now.

Khattar said that he had now asked the chief secretary D S Dhesi to conduct an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds in the purchases of sports schools.

Khattar had recently said that Ashok Khemka, principal secretary, science and technology department would hold an inquiry into it.

However, later, it was officially said that according to the state government rule of business, only the chief secretary or minister could hold an inquiry into a conflict between two departments.

The said controversial issue was whipped up about two months ago when the sports school’s principal, Bharati Arora sought an inquiry into the embezzlement in the funds running into lakh of rupees since several years.

However, a team of the finance department conducted an inquiry of purchases of only a few months’ period and alleged embezzlement. The differences cropped up when Vij sought an inquiry into the past purchases as well, though finance department did not hold it.