Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda launched a scathing attack on the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab saying that Punjab has fallen behind in all fronts as compared to Haryana due to bad governance prevailing in the State.
Addressing the National Integration Rally organised by Punjab Congress to commemorate the death anniversary of Beant Singh, Hooda said that Haryana was the younger brother of Punjab as it was carved out of the State in 1966. “Punjab is our elder brother. We are two children of the same mother. But I feel sad that Punjab has fallen way behind. In the last few years Haryana has made a steady progress in all fonts but on the other hand Punjab has failed to bring development to the common masses,” he said.
The Haryana Chief Minister said that Punjab paid low wages to workers under MNERGA which is Rs 135 as compared to Rs 240 in Haryana. The cost of diesel and petrol was higher in due to higher VAT on fuel in the State but the Akalis leave no stone unturned to indulge in dirty politics in the garb of farmers’ interest.
Hooda was alluding to the 3,500 Sikh families who are residing in Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts of Haryana for past few decades. This farmers till few acres of land that they acquired on lease from Pratap Singh Kairon. The Chief Minister said, “If they were given land by my predecessor, I will ensure that these farmers are granted full ownership of the land. But the Badals should go and talk to Modi about Sikh Farmers, who are in trouble in Gujarat, instead of worrying about my state.”
Hooda paid his tributes to Beant Singh and said that SAD-BJP Government should be thankful to this martyr of Punjab who ensured that democracy must prevail here and because of the sacrifices made by him today they have elections in the State.