CHANDIGARH: VVIP culture is all set to be back in Haryana as MLAs will be allowed to fly flags on their vehicles. The flag with MLA written on it will ensure that their vehicles get VIP access and privileges, besides enabling them to cross toll gates without any hitch. Haryana will become the first state in north India where the legislators can fly flags.
Red beacons on their vehicles have been banned. Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said “all the MLAs of the Haryana assembly will now be allowed to put flags on their vehicles on which MLA will be written. These flags have already been designed. Before the Monsoon Session, they will be allowed to put flags on their vehicles. When the MLA will not be in the vehicle, then the flag cannot be put.”
Gupta justified the move saying the MLAs were above top officials in the order of precedence. “An MLA is above the state chief secretary and senior officers in protocol.
If the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, deputy commissioners and police officers can put flags on their official cars then why can’t an MLA? So we have decided that the MLAs will be allowed to put flags on their cars”
The Speaker said MLAs face problems during travel. “Their vehicles are stopped as the police do not recognise them. They have to reveal their identity and they face problem at toll plazas. Now this problem will be taken care of as there will be flags on their vehicle. One can recognise the vehicle from a distance.”