Chandigarh, June 11
“Will he or will he not?” This is the question being asked most frequently these days by Haryana bureaucrats in reference to the Chief Minister’s much postponed foreign visit. Meet any bureaucrat, he immediately asks: “Aur Kiya Ho Raha Hai? Chief Minister Ja Raha Hai Ya Nahin? Ghasi
Ram (BKU leader) Mana?”
The question assumed greater relevance today when it became known that Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s foreign visit has again been postponed by at least another two days. He was scheduled to fly out of the country on June 9. The departure was rescheduled for June 12. Now it is tentatively fixed for June 15.
The postponement has resulted in the curtailment of the visit. Now the first leg of the tour, involving a visit to China and Hong Kong, has been dropped. Even Mr Chautala’s programme in San Fransisco in the USA has been affected. If Mr Chautala takes the flight on June 15, he will be able to keep his engagements in Washington.
Informed sources say the visit had to be repeatedly postponed for two reasons — the continuing stalemate with the agitating BKU and the non-issue of visas to about 24 INLD MLAs who are to accompany Mr Chautala on his foreign tour. It is learnt that now the MLAs have obtained visas for Canada and the USA. They are still to get visas for the UK and France.
