Sitting a few seats away, Amit Shah began to listen intently.
Surajkund, Haryana:
The Union’s Interior Minister, Amit Shah, today publicly reprimanded Haryana’s Interior Minister, Anil Vij, for his lengthy speech at an event organized by the Union’s Interior Ministry. During the eight and a half minute speech, Mr. Shah interrupted him four times and reminded him that he only had five minutes. Eventually, Mr. Shah cut it short.
The occasion was the inauguration of a seminar organized by the Ministry of the Interior of the Union in Surajkund, Haryana. Mr. Vij was to deliver the welcome speech. The main speech was to be delivered to the Prime Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar. Mr. Shah was the last speaker.
Mr. Vij was to express his gratitude to Mr. Shah for his participation in the event. But he quickly distanced himself from Haryana’s history, his contribution to the Green Revolution, the state’s performance at the Olympics and the sports infrastructure created by the state government. He also talked about the grievance session that will be held every week.
Mr. Shah, who was only a few seats away, began to listen intently. Then he sent a note to the minister, apparently asking him to stop. When it didn’t work, he turned on the microphone and touched it, pointing to Mr. Vij.
But the state interior minister still didn’t pay attention.
“Anil-ji, you have had five minutes. You’ve already talked for eight and a half minutes. Please finish your speech. This is not the place to make such a long speech. Be brief, ”Shah said at the end.
But Mr. Vij asked for a few more seconds and said he still had one thing to do.
When Mr. Shah cleared it, he continued the long list of achievements. At that point, Mr. Shah was clearly upset. “Anil ji, please excuse me. That will not work. Get it over with, “he said.
Mr. Vij’s response was to begin his concluding remarks.
But Mr. Shah had had enough. “Done. The program should go on,” he said sternly.
Given the extra time taken by Mr. Vij, his boss, Mr. Khattar, only spoke for three of the five minutes allotted to him.
As part of the Union Mantralaya two-day program, prime ministers and interior ministers or senior police officers from nine states will discuss law, order and national security under Shah’s presidency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address this agenda tomorrow.