Chandigarh, July 31 (IANS) Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij said on Thursday that he "is the senior-most legislator and he has to oversee all of Haryana".
"I will soon begin a state-wide tour. I will meet new and old party workers and check on their well-being, " he told the media.
Minister Vij is popular among his supporters for his straightforwardness.
He is known for criticising lazy officials in meetings.
Issuing a stern warning to officers, the Minister said, "I will also be checking on those officers who are not implementing government schemes."
He was responding to queries of the media regarding this week's BJP Legislative Party meeting during which constituencies were allotted to MLAs and Ministers but the names of seven-time MLA Vij was missing from the list.
"I am the most senior MLA, so I have to oversee all of Haryana, while other legislators have been given just one constituency each. I have won the state Assembly election seven times and I will soon begin touring all of Haryana. I will meet party workers at various locations and check in on their well-being. And I will also be checking those officers who fail to implement the government's schemes, " Minister Vij said.
In response to a query about the Opposition's allegation in Parliament during the debate on "Operation Mahadev" and "Shiv Shakti", where they accused the Army of being saffronised, the Minister remarked, "The Opposition is against all traditions and beliefs of Hindustan."
Advising the Opposition, Minister Vij said, "They (Opposition) should know that every unit of our Army has temples and gurdwaras. They should also know that when our brave soldiers charge toward the enemy, they shout 'Jai Bajrang Bali!' They (Opposition) must understand that many military operations in our country have been named after Hindu traditions or Indian cultural identities."
Criticising the Opposition, the Minister said, "The Opposition should be ashamed. Should we name our operations after Pakistani missiles or other foreign references? The Opposition has completely strayed from real issues. In the name of political opposition to the Prime Minister, they have now started opposing the country itself. They are even targeting our national beliefs, centres of faith and religious traditions."