Zero plus zero will be zero: Anil Vij on HJC merger with Congress

Haryana Minister Anil Vij on Friday took a dig at the merger of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) with Congress, saying, "The result of zero plus zero will be zero."

"Congress has zero existence in the state while HJC base has already dwindled to zero in state politics. So zero plus zero will result in zero," he said responding to a media question on the merger of the two parties.

Haryana Janhit Congress led by Kuldeep Bishnoi had merged with Congress in Delhi on Thursday. Vij also alleged that Congress and HJC had lost their credibility among the people.

Vij, who is the Health Minister, claimed that the merger will not benefit Congress in any manner as the party in Haryana was "divided" into various factions. HJC was floated by former Haryana CM Bhajan Lal in 2007 after he broke away from Congress.

Vij said Congress does not have any right to criticise the government as it had spent ten years while in power either "issuing CLUs (conversion of land use)or humiliating the honest officers".

On the reported statement of former Haryana speaker Kuldeep Sharma criticising the state government on transfer of IAS and IPS officers, he said Sharma must remember that an honest and senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka was transferred a number of times during the Congress government's tenure.

"Corruption was at its peak during the period of Congress government and the officers who dared to oppose erroneous orders were transferred frequently," he alleged.

"The Congress government had ignored honest and sincere officers for its political interest whereas the BJP government ensured that sincere officers have been offered due regard and appropriate posting as per their experience and competence has been given", he said.