With Congress MlA from Panipat Balbir Pal Shah resigning and two other MlAs threatening to quit, loyalists of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda have joined hands and said that there was no discrimination pertaining to development of different regions of the State and all have been equally developed in Congress regime.
In a joint statement, several MlAs and ministers, all considered loyal to Hooda, said, “Since 2005, two successive Governments of Indian National Congress have written a new history of inclusive and all round development in the State of Haryana. State has progressed by leaps and bounds under the able stewardship of Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda.” The signatories to the statement included, Harmohinder Singh Chatha, Finance Minister, Venod Sharma, MlA, Randeep Singh Surjewala, PWD Minister, Ram Kishan Gujjar, CPS, Anil Dhantori, Sumita Singh, Devinder Kumar Bansal, Zile Ram Sharma, Dharam Singh Chhoker and O.P. Jain (all MlAs). “In recent times, certain opposition parties and some vested interests in the party are unfortunately attempting to divide the State on the parochial grounds of regionalism.
Those talking about discrimination with Northern region of Haryana are clearly ill-informed and neither they have their ear to the ground nor their finger on the pulse of the people.” the statement said. The statement comes after Balbir Pal Shah had resigned his assembly seat alleging that there was a bias in development of his constituency and it remained neglected throughout while other areas of the state were being developed. Two other Congress MlAs—Rajpal Bhukhri, MlA of Sadhaura, in Yamunanagar district and Naresh Selwal, MlA of Uklana from Hisar district too threatened to resign saying that there was bias in development and it was limited to Rohtak and surrounding areas.
Both these MlAs are believed to be close to Union Minister Kumari Selja, a bete noire of Hooda in Haryana politics. The Hooda loyalists in their statement said, “These leaders are presenting half-baked truths and viewing progress with a jaundiced eye only to earn and bask in their moments under the spotlight”. They said Hooda and the government has been more than judicious in allocating big-ticket projects to every district in an effort to build up the state and take it to newer dizzying heights over last eight years.
“No region of the State has been disappointed and every demand has been met with a flush of funds and an eye on progress,” they said. Refute allegations of discrimination against Northern Haryana, the statement of the Hooda loyalists also came out with the expenditure in various heads and how development has fast tracked in all parts of the State. However, Hooda detractor Rajpal Bhukhri alleged that development was limited to only two districts Jhajjar and Rohtak. The Hooda detractors in the State have been continuously targeting the chief minister for partiality in development. These leaders include Rajya Sabha MP Birender Singh, union minister Kumari Selja, Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Ishwer Singh.