Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini admitted in the Legislative Assembly that extortion cases in the state have risen by 17%. He said 296 incidents were reported till July this year, compared to 253 during the same period last year.
The admission came while Saini was replying to a calling attention motion moved by INLD MLAs Aditya Devilal and Arjun Chautala on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Why extortion cases are rising in Haryana
Saini attributed the rise primarily to overseas callers who use digital applications and other technologies to conceal their identity and location. According to The Tribune, the CM said these callers operate from outside the country, making it harder for local police to track them.
The Chief Minister said the Special Task Force (STF) and Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) are conducting intelligence-based operations against organised crime, gangsters, illegal weapons and criminals involved in serious and terror-related cases.
In a related statement, as reported by The Times of India, Saini said the government is cracking down on gangs. The Haryana Police have arrested 3,210 gang members during this period.
CM Saini attacks Congress over 1984 riots
During the same assembly session, Saini turned his focus on the opposition Congress party. According to an official press release from the Haryana government, the CM said Congress has never apologised for the 1984 riots.
"Congress has never apologised for the 1984 riots; calling a person associated with that period a role model amounts to rubbing salt into victims' wounds." — CM Nayab Singh Saini
Saini also took a dig at the opposition, saying it "starts looking for political opportunity even before wiping a victim's tears." He further claimed that there was no democracy during Congress rule, but a "rule-tantra."
Government's law and order response
The CM made it clear that the government will not spare anyone involved in criminal activities. He said:
- STF and ATS are running intelligence-based operations against organised crime networks
- Police are targeting gangsters, illegal weapons and terror-related cases
- 3,210 gang members have been arrested so far
- The government is using technology to counter overseas callers involved in extortion
According to The Times of India, Saini asserted that no matter how influential a criminal may be, no one is above the law.
Our Take: Admitting the problem is step one
To put it plainly, this is a rare and honest admission from a ruling government. Most leaders avoid acknowledging rising crime numbers, but Saini has put the data on record. That is a good first step.
However, admitting the problem is not the same as solving it. The 17% rise in extortion cases shows that existing measures have not been enough. Blaming overseas callers and digital technology is only part of the story — the state needs stronger enforcement and better coordination with central agencies to track cross-border criminals.
The attack on Congress over the 1984 riots is a political move, and it will likely energise the ruling party's base. But for ordinary citizens of Haryana, the real question is simple: will the police bring these extortion numbers down? The CM has promised action — now the results will speak.
For now, the government has shown it is watching the problem. The next step is to show it can fix it.