DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday accused the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government in the state of “insulting” sportspersons, farmers and soldiers, and claimed that the BJP dispensation had “completely failed” on all fronts. Hooda, who was granted bail today in a case related to alleged irregularities in Manesar land deals, also took potshots at INLD-BSP tie-up, saying this alliance would break before elections.

“Jawans, sportspersons and farmers are feeling insulted during BJP regime because of its apathetic attitude towards them,” he told reporters.

The state’s sportspersons, with their hard work, won one third of the total medals that India won in the recently held Commonwealth Games, he said.

“The way they were insulted… it was for the first time I heard that some sportspersons boycotted the state government’s function organised to honour them… the state government has not given job to any sportsperson during its over three-year-old rule,” Hooda said.

On April 25, the Haryana government cancelled the felicitation function for the state’s Commonwealth Games medal winners after being threatened with a boycott by top athletes such as wrestler Vinesh Phogat and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra over a proposed cut in prize money.

Hooda lashed out at the sports policy of the state which envisaged reduction in prize money for players who represented bodies such as Railways and the Army.

(editor@dailyworld.in)