What's your hobby? Ask MLAs for interesting answers

Some of the Haryana legislators in the 90-member House pursue interesting hobbies during their free time. Listing their hobbies, among other things, is a book titled 'Who's Who' compiled and published by the state assembly secretariat.

According to the book, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) first-time MLA from Nangal Chaudhary, Bahadur Singh, has interest in constructing big buildings and expansion of education. He is 'primary pass' on the education front, knows Hindi and English and his favourite subjects are mathematics and politics.

For the Congress three-time legislator from Gohana, Jagbir Singh Malik, a lawyer by profession, "gossiping" is his favourite pastime. INLD two-time legislator from Hodal Jagdish Nayar's hobby is "to become a good person"!

Shakuntala Khatak, Congress MLA from Kalanuar, has interest in reading and listening to music, besides driving motorcycles.

About INLD's Ellenabad MLA Abhay Chautala, the book says he is fond of visiting religious places, watching social films, and Discovery and Geographical (sic) channels on TV, besides other hobbies.
As for chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he likes to read and play sports, while INLD supremo and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala is fond of reading and has a special interest in the changing patterns of global rural economy and agriculture technology.

Parliamentary affairs minister Randeep Surjewala says long walks, poetry and listening to ghazals are his hobbies.

Most of the other legislators have mentioned social work, reading, watching television, travelling, listening to music and playing sports as their hobbies. Only a few of them have stated that listening to raagnis (Haryanvi folk songs) is their hobby.

Besides listing their hobbies, the book has a mention about languages legislators know. Chautala is well-versed in Hindi, English, Urdu, Punjabi and Sanskrit, while four-time Congress' Beri MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian knows Hindi, English, Punjabi and Russian.

Congress MLA from Bahadurgarh Rajinder Singh Joon mentions that besides knowing Hindi, English Punjabi, he can speak Haryanvi (language?). Haryanvi is only a dialect and not a language. Only a couple of MLAs have said that they know only Hindi, while most of others maintain they know Hindi as well as English.