Booed at a rally earlier this week in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday hit back urging people to avenge the “insult” through the power of votes in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Hooda while addressing Vijay Sankalp Rally at Panipat criticised his political opponents and detractors and asked the people to take a pledge to teach a lesson to opportunists and those who insulted their elected representatives at Kaithal recently.
He said that the insult which was meted out to him was of the entire State and the people in the State would not tolerate it… I went there as representative of 2.5 crore people of Haryana, if they had insulted me, it was your insult, said Hooda while addressing the rally.
Describing his political opponents as opportunists adding, “Janta Sab Janti Hai” (People know everything), Hooda asked the people to use the weapon of vote to take revenge from his opponents.
While launching a scathing attack on BJP led Central Government, the Chief Minister said, “I heard that Union Government would review the existing schemes of the Congress Government. I challenge, if Central Government tried to play with MANREGA or other centrally sponsored schemes including Food Security Bill, we would not remain silent and give appropriate reply to them.”
Hooda also challenged BJP and INlD to declare their candidates for the Chief Ministers’ post for the upcoming Assembly elections, which are to be held in October this year.
“Can they (BJP or INlD) tell the name of their CM candidates…What is the name of their constituencies...They are afraid to announce their names,” said he.
Targeting the State leadership of BJP, Hooda said “You want to form the Government on the basis of turned coats… These are those people, who used to praise the Congress party and now are targeting us for irregular development, added Hooda.
Without taking name of INlD chief Om Prakash Chautala, he said that those people are targeting me as property dealer, who had been jailed or charge-sheeted.
Meanwhile, eyeing forthcoming Assembly elections, Hooda also doled out sops for the people. During the rally, Hooda announced a bonanza of incentives, especially for the people belonging to weaker sections, farmers, employees, women and senior citizens.
Though the rally was organised to present ‘report card’ of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s two consecutive terms in Haryana, yet Hooda read it within merely five minutes.
Hooda announced to waive off loans amounting to `154 crore taken by 1.25 lakh beneficiaries including people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes from Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation and Welfare of Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections Corporation up to March 31, 2013.
He said that now the farmers would not have to pay interest on crop loans provided they pay principal amount on time. Therefore, the rate of interest on crop loan, which has already been brought down from 11 to four percent by this Government has been waived off for those paying principal amount on time. Also, in case of long term loan of farmers, the Government would pay half of the interest of the farmers provided they pay their loan on time.
He also announced to immediately commence the development works in all those colonies that have been regularized recently by the State Government.
The Chief Minister also made an announcement to increase up to `1,500 the monthly old age allowance and other social security pensions like under ladli with effect from November 1, 2014.
For employees, it was announced that all the employees would get pay scales on the pattern of Punjab Government with effect from November 1, 2014. Such employees of Haryana would also include police personnels. There are more than 2.75 lakh employees including police force in the State, which would become beneficiary if this announcement materialised.
Congress leaders including State Congress president Ashok Tanwar, Ministers Savitri Jindal, Aftab Ahmad, Speaker of State Assembly Kuldeep Sharma among others were present at the rally and had addressed the gathering.