EP 203 - Politics, Identity, History | The Haryana Story feat. Author Arjun Singh Kadian

Arjun Singh Kadian is an academic and author having expertise in Haryana's political and cultural landscape. Arjun has authored two insightful books: 'Land of the Gods: The Story of Haryana' and 'Neeraj Chopra: From Panipat to Podium'. He also worked in the policy communication department under the Haryana Chief Minister in 2018-19. His political leaning is with the BJP.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Arjun talks about the upcoming Haryana elections and shares his views on the importance of fostering a unified Haryanvi identity in a region often divided by caste and community lines.

He also discusses what went wrong for the Haryana BJP and why they lost 5 seats to the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, mentioning the "Hooda Factor" giving Congress an edge in this election. Arjun also talks about the power shift from Manohar Lal Khattar to Nayab Singh Saini and whether it will benefit the BJP.

He also highlights Haryana's cultural significance as the land of the gods, reflecting on the historical presence of the Saraswati River and the state's role as the birthplace of Bharat.

Introduction (0:00)

Lok Sabha Polls 2024 BuildUp (1:27)

Jat Agitation & Farmer Protests (8:52)

The 'Satrap' System of Haryana (12:10)

The '400 Paar' Effect (17:34)

The Jat Votebank (20:54)

The 'Hooda' Factor (29:44)

Manohar Lal Khattar's Legacy (36:28)

Why Haryana Matters for BJP (39:14)

The Congress Narrative (45:54)

The 'Agniveer' Sentiment (53:22)

Haryana's Chautala Clan (56:14)

Growth Slowing Down in Haryana? (1:01:14)

Gurugram's Crumbling Infrastructure (1:04:51)

The 'Neeraj Chopra' Phenomenon (1:08:14)

Saraswati River: Myth & Facts (1:09:50)

The Haryanvi Identity (1:14:21)