Soon after getting bail from a special CBI court in connection with the Rs 1500-crore Manesar land scam, an unfazed former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday attacked the Manohar lal Khattar Government, accusing it of insulting sportspersons, farmers and soldiers of the State.
“The state of Haryana is known for its soldiers, farmers and sportspersons. But this BJP led State Government has insulted all of them,” alleged Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while talking to the mediapersons here, just few hours after appearing in the Panchkula CBI court in relation to Manesar land scam.
Referring to the court case, the senior Congress leader said that he respects law and the truth will come out.
“Everyone knows the reality behind these cases… This is a political vendetta. I have faith in judiciary. I will fight legal battles in court and political battles on streets, said Hooda,” who was accompanied by his loyalists MlAs Kuldeep Sharma, Raghuvir Singh Kadian among others.
The two-time former Chief Minister has been named as an accused in the CBI chargesheet in connection with the multi-crore Manesar land scam that allegedly took placed during his tenure in Haryana.
Hooda has also announced to launch the second phase of his Rath Yatra named ‘Jan Kranti Yatra’ on June 3 from Panipat.
“I will stay in all assembly constituencies of Panipat for one day each during the yatra and visit all big villages to meet the people and listen to their grievances. Other districts would also be covered during the second phase of the yatra starting on June 3 from Panipat,” said he.
Even after suffering a fracture in his left foot in February, the former CM had kicked off the first phase of ‘Jan Kranti Yatra’ as per its schedule on February 24 from Hodal in Palwal.
launching a scathing attack on the BJP led Haryana Government, Hooda said that soldiers, sportspersons and farmers are being humiliated during the BJP regime.
Criticizing the State Government for the cancellation of April 26 felicitation function for 22 Commonwealth Games medal winners from Haryana, the senior Congress leader said that the sportspersons were insulted over the issue of prize money. It is for the first time that sportspersons boycotted the State Government’s function organized to honour them, he said.
Hooda said that a sportsperson does not play for a state but for the country.
It is wrong to reduce award money for the players belonging to Haryana, if he represents Railways or other bodies. The government should have encouraged the morale of the sportspersons but instead it is insulting them, he added
This government has not given even a single job to any sportsperson during its over three-year rule, Hooda alleged.
On the issue of farmers, the former CM said that the farmers are forced to sell wheat and mustard crop below MSP.
On the other hand, soldiers are still fighting for one rank, one pension. The BJP has failed to fulfill its poll promise made to the soldiers, he added
Continuing his tirade against the BJP Government, Hooda said that there is no law and order in the state. Unemployment is increasing and mining mafia is on the rise, he said
Hooda added that this government is doing only show-off and misleading the people.
BJP has no achievement in its over three-year tenure in Haryana and is busy in event management and spending crores in advertisements, said he.
The Congress leader also demanded a probe by sitting judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court into the alleged cash-for-job scam in ‘Staff Selection Commission’ (SSC) of Haryana.
On the recent tie-up between INlD and BSP, Hooda said that it is not the first time that such alliance had taken place but it will break before polls.
Commenting on INlD-BSP ‘Jail Bharo Andalolan’ to press for their demand of construction of Sutlej Yamuna link canal, he said that INlD is shedding crocodile tears. The SYl could not be constructed till now due to INlD and BJP, he said.
Reacting on roadshows being conducted by Chief Minister Manohar lal, Hooda said that the CM did roadshow in Faridabad, then Karnal. He will then hold such roadshows in Rohtak and Gurugram as he is looking for an assembly seat to contest polls, added the former CM.
When asked about the meeting of dalit MlAs from Haryana Congress with party chief Rahul Gandhi and their demand of change in state leadership, Hooda said that the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee had last year passed a resolution to authorize the then party president Sonia Gandhi and current president Rahul Gandhi to appoint next party chief of Haryana Congress unit.
In the faction-ridden Haryana Congress, the loyalists of Hooda had been demanded ouster of state party chief Ashok Tanwar since 2014.