Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar 'castes' aside surname after Jat agitation

CHANDIGARH: An emotional Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday told MLAs in the assembly that he doesn't want people to suffix 'Khattar' with his name any more.

He made the statement during a discussion on the recent Jat violence that left 30 people dead and the state deeply divided.

"I was a (RSS) pracharak till 1994 and no one knew my caste at the time," he said. "Even today, I don't like it when people use 'Khattar' after my name. I am just Manohar Lal. That is enough for my identity," he added.

His statement comes at a time when the Jat-non Jat divide has become sharper in Haryana. Some non-Jats have even threatened to socially boycott Jats. The chief minister himself comes from a Punjabi family that migrated from Pakistan during Partition to a village to Rohtak.

It is, however, yet to be seen if this personal decision will help him emerge as a leader of all communities. He has a monumental task ahead of bridging the caste divide — not only among the people, but also within cabinet colleagues who share divergent views on how the violence should have been handled.

It is important to note that Manohar Lal had dropped his surname soon after taking over as CM in 2014. His nameplate at work and his residence does not use Khattar. However, this was an unofficial decision that did not get any attention. His statement in the assembly has given the decision a sort of official approval.