Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij donned the hat of Sholay film’s iconic character Gabbar on Saturday, while taking a dig at former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for calling him a “junior Minister.”
Mr. Hooda had recently said that Mr. Vij, the Ambala Cantt MLA, who was in the running for the CM’s post, ended up being a junior Minister. In response, Mr. Vij tweeted: “Maine toh kabhi kuch banney ka socha nahein parantu yedhee mein CM hota to tera kya hota Kalia (I never thought of becoming anything, but if I was the Chief Minister then who would have saved you).”
“Tera kya hoga kalia” is Gabbar Singh’s famous dialogue in the film.
Asked about the tweet, Mr. Vij said in Ambala, “I want to tell Hooda ji that I never aspired for any post.”
Popular face Vij, a five-time MLA and a popular face of the party in the State, was the front runner for the Chief Minister’s post ahead of last year’s Assembly polls. However, the BJP chose Manohar Lal Khattar, a first-time legislator from Karnal constituency, also a former RSS ideologue.
Last month, to drive home his point on illegal sex determination, Mr. Vij had taken a cue from the film Sholay.
He tweeted, “ Mein aise halaat paida karna chahata hoon ki door door tak jab koyee ultrasound centre jayee to doctor kahein bhaag ja naheen toh Anil Vij aa jayega (I want to create such a situation that if anyone approaches the ultrasound centre for sex determination test the doctor tells them flee or else Anil Vij will come).”
