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Rampal was arrested after Modi’s intervention?
 Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Manohar Lal KhattarChandigarh, November 27
When the Rampal crisis had peaked, many wondered why Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was going slow on the explosive situation. It now transpires that administratively inexperienced Khattar was reluctant to seek help from central party leaders. So much so, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a trip Down Under "reprimanded" Khattar for going solo. That's when security forces were pressed into action and the state DGP was ordered to drag the controversial sect head out of his lair, sources said.

It is believed that Modi rang Khattar from Sydney after he was questioned on the situation in Haryana while addressing the Indo-Australian Community Reception in Allphones Arena on November 17.

Modi said: "Abhi itne bade nahi hue ho" (You have not emerged such a tall leader yet)," implying that his ego should not have come in his way in seeking guidance from BJP chief Amit Shah, who is a well-know troubleshooter.

Khattar cancelled his engagements and rushed to Delhi on November 19 to meet Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. As Shah refused to meet him and Rajnath was in Kashmir to address an election rally, Khattar met Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who promised all help. Rajnath met Khattar on his return from the Valley.

A buzz in the official circles is that Khattar was upset following interference of senior BJP leaders and the RSS in the routine affairs of the state. These leaders were using Amit Shah to direct the CM to "do the needful". Initially, Khattar obliged even as the feeling grew that the state government was being remote-controlled from the BJP headquarters.

Sources said Khattar spoke to Modi before he left for his tour to Myanmar, Australia and Fiji.

Modi took up Khattar's concern that included some appointments in the Chief Minister's Office following directions from Delhi. It is believed that Shah backed out but resented that the Khattar went to the PM taking it to be a complaint against him.

A few days later, the Rampal crisis erupted and the inexperienced Haryana politicians could not give a clear line of action to the state police. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed Rampal on November 4 to be present in court the next day. But his followers started fortifying Satlok Ashram and defied the court orders. It took the police two weeks (till November 19) to arrest the sect head and bring him to the court.

Modi's reprimand

  • Khattar was “reprimanded” by Modi for not seeking help from senior BJP leaders on Rampal crisis
  • A buzz in the political circles is that Khattar was upset following interference of senior BJP leaders in the state's affairs.

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