Haryana's ML Khattar Takes Charge Of CID As Rift With Minister Grows

The differences between Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij don't seem to be heading for a resolution anytime soon. Now, the state police's Criminal Investigation Department or CID, which was reporting to Mr Vij, has been asked to work under the Chief Minister, according to the state assembly portal.

One of the most vocal leaders of BJP in Haryana who has often made headlines for controversial speeches, Anil Vij was allocated the home ministry in the new government. The move came as a surprise for many, since the department is traditionally headed by the Chief Minister in the state.

Soon after assuming the charge, Mr Vij made waves with his surprise checks and suspension of employees. The differences came to the fore when he expressed his displeasure over the transfer of IPS officers despite his dissenting note. It aggravated later when the CID raided the offices of the Secretary, Regional Transport Authority, across the state on the orders of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, without keeping Mr Vij in the loop. "There is scope of a lot of improvement in the intelligence department. I have realised in one month that it is very 'phissaddi' (laggard)," Mr Vij had said last month.

His displeasure with the CID grew further when the department chief ADGP Anil Rao did not respond to repeated queries by the minister, sources said. The minister had raised questions over the inputs provided by the department over the assembly poll results.

Unable to pacify the home minister, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also met JP Nadda, the working president of BJP, last week and sought his intervention to resolve the growing crisis. The home minister is yet to respond on the fresh development but the differences between the two leaders only seem to be growing further.