Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government in Haryana, accusing it of resorting to cheap politics, causing divisions in society.
“Unity and social harmony is our biggest strength and I appeal to all sections to defeat the divisive forces by staying united and maintain social harmony,” the former CM said at a public meeting at the start of the fifth leg of his ‘Jankranti Yatra’ in Mahendragarh.
“The BJP made tall promises to farmers and soldiers before the elections. But after coming to power the BJP has not fulfilled any of the promises. Farmers were promised 50% profit for their crops but the BJP has betrayed their trust. The soldiers were promised One Rank One Pensions but they continue to agitate as they are not getting the same on the formula promised to them by the Congress government,” said Mr. Hooda.
“The BJP government had promised the government employees to bring pay parity with their Punjab counterparts but like the other promises, this one too has been thrown in the dustbin. The result is that all work has come to grinding halt in the State,” he said.
He added that the Congress would bring this pay parity after assuming power following the Assembly elections next year.
Flays INLD
Mr. Hooda also took a dig at the Indian National Lok Dal for their failure to bring any development in southern Haryana and challenged them to list even one development initiative during their six years of government from 1999 to 2004.
“INLD leaders criticise the Congress but never talk about their achievements because they have nothing to highlight. Instead of bringing any development to the region, they opposed the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal,” he alleged.
Mr. Hooda added that both the BJP and the INLD were trying to mislead the people of the State. “The INLD did not vote against the BJP government in the no confidence motion moved by the Opposition in the Lok Sabha while they voted with the BJP in the recently concluded elections for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
In Kurukshetra’s Babain, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala criticised the BJP government for not waiving farm loans despite the farmers distress.
“The BJP government imposed huge taxes on farmers, thereby increasing farm costs. Fertilizers, pesticides and farm implements earlier attracted zero per cent tax in most States but under the GST, the BJP government has imposed huge taxes,” he said, addressing a ‘Jan Chetna’ rally. “The people have made up their mind to teach a befitting lesson to the BJP in the next polls,” he said.