Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will no longer enjoy the privileges of Cabinet rank status.

The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana on Friday withdrew the Cabinet Minister status given to the Congress stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda. A decision in this regard was taken in Haryana Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar lal.

“Keeping in view the resentment among the public and the political parties in the state on the issue of facilities of Cabinet Minister being provided to the ex-Chief Ministers of Haryana at State headquarters, the State Government has decided to reconsider the issue and withdraw these facilities provided to the ex-Chief Ministers,” said the Cabinet Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi while talking to the mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting.

He said that the State Government has decided to withdraw the Cabinet rank given to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and from now onwards, he would only get the facilities given to an MlA in Haryana.

The then Congress Government had in 2013 decided to provide facilities of a Cabinet Minister to former Chief Ministers at Chandigarh. At that time, the grounds given for the decision was to help Hukam Singh, Chief Minister for a brief period during 1990-91. He had died last year.

At present, Hooda was the lone ex-CM enjoying the privilege of Cabinet rank. Hooda has served as Chief Minister of Haryana for 2004 to 2014. He had been allotted a government bungalow, an official car and a staff of six members.

Notably, a large number of BJP leaders had expressed their displeasure over the cabinet rank given to the Bhupinder Singh Hooda following the allegations of his connection with accused in riots during Jat reservation stir.

Apart from BJP leaders, the main opposition Indian National lok Dal had also demanded withdrawal of cabinet rank given to Hooda. The leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and senior INlD leader Abhay Singh Chautala had also recently written to Chief Minister Manohar lal demanding to reverse the decision that was taken by previous Hooda Government.

“Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s alleged role of aiding and abetting unruly and disruptive elements involved in loot and arson incidents etc in the recent reservation agitation is well known to the people of the state. He, therefore does not deserve to be allotted any government residence equivalent to the rank of a Cabinet Minister,” Chautala’s letter had stated.